The fifth named storm and fourth hurricane of the annual season, Erick originated from a tropical wave that moved off the western coast of Africa on June 18.

Steered generally west-northwest, Erick intensified into a Category 1 hurricane and reached its peak intensity with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) on July 6.

Though the center of Erick remained offshore, the outer bands of the system brought gusty winds and isolated heavy rainfall to Western Mexico.

[1] During the evening of July 1, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring the system, noting that environmental conditions were expected to become favorable for slow development.

Continuing slowly westward, the system acquired enough organization to be declared a tropical depression at 1200 UTC on July 4, while centered 205 mi (330 km) southeast of Acapulco, Mexico.

[1] Despite the initially exposed center of circulation, a byproduct of moderate wind shear, the depression soon began to organize as convective banding increased and gained more curvature.

A ragged eye became intermittently visible on satellite, and Erick was upgraded to Category 1 hurricane status at 0600 UTC, located approximately 105 mi (170 km) west-southwest of Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico.

Shortly thereafter, its proximity to the coastline of Mexico and track over increasingly cooler waters caused the storm to begin a weakening trend.

[8] Wind shear caused the center of circulation to become exposed on July 9 as the system passed just south of Baja California Sur,[9] leading to degeneration into a remnant low-pressure area at 0600 UTC.

[1] Following the system's designation, a tropical storm watch was issued for the southwestern coastline of Mexico stretching from Acapulco to La Fortuna.

Several hours later, the watch was discontinued for the coastline stretching from Acapulco to Lázaro Cárdenas and issued from La Fortuna to Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco.

At 1500 UTC on July 6, a tropical storm watch was issued from Santa Fe to La Paz, though this was upgraded to a warning several hours later.

[13] Despite remaining offshore, the outer rainbands of the storm affected the southwestern coastline with gusty winds and heavy rainfall,[11] with similar effects farther northwest.