At first the system was disorganized, but convection quickly concentrated near the center, and on May 25 the disturbance developed into Tropical Depression One-E while located about 250 miles (400 km) south-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico.

Adolph was in a low wind shear environment with warm sea surface temperatures and as such, the NHC forecasted intensification to hurricane status within two days.

[3] The high upper-oceanic heat content, good outflow, and lack of vertical shear[9] allowed the hurricane to begin a burst of rapid intensification, dropping 1.46 mbars per hour.

[12] As the storm passed over increasingly colder waters and into an area of stable air, the system weakened more quickly, and dissipated on June 1, while located about 460 miles (740 km) south-southwest of Baja California.

The threat for heavy rainfall was mentioned for areas[14] from Puerto Ángel to Zihuatanejo when Adolph was a depression[15] and later from Acapulco to Lázaro Cárdenas.

[16] The government of Mexico expressed concern that rain and 13-foot (4.0 m) waves from Adolph would affect Oaxaca, Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Guerrero.

[1][3] The name Adolph was retired by the World Meteorological Organization following the 2001 season, amid concern that its continued use would be politically insensitive, due to it being the first name of German dictator Adolf Hitler.