After briefly weakening the next day, Rick resumed intensifying and achieved its peak intensity on October 25 as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (170 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 977 mbar (28.9 inHg).

On October 18, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) started highlighting the chances of development of a low pressure area offshore the Pacific coast of Mexico.

[6] Shower activity gradually became better organized,[7] although an advanced scatterometer pass early on October 22 revealed that the system had not developed a closed wind circulation.

[8] However, a rapid increase in organization soon occurred, and following a Dvorak classification of T2.0/35 mph (55 km/h), the NHC upgraded the low pressure system into a tropical depression at 15:00 UTC on October 21.

Situated within an environment of little vertical wind shear, high moisture, and of warm sea surface temperatures near 86 °F (30 °C),[9] the depression was upgraded into a tropical storm that evening after an increase in curved band features and upper-level outflow in all directions.

[13] An eye briefly became apparent in visible satellite imagery[14] and following measurements from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft, the NHC set the intensity of the storm at 90 mph (150 km/h).

During the next 18 to 24 hours, the hurricane weakened slightly as it tracked north;[15] the cause of this arrested development phase was 15 to 25 mph (30 to 35 km/h) of wind shear and an environment of less than 50% relative humidity.

[16] However, microwave imagery showed a 25 mi (35 km) wide closed eyewall had re-developed by the evening of October 23, a sign that Rick had resumed intensification.

[26] While still at sea, Rick was responsible for 3 m (9.8 ft) waves along coastal areas of Guerrero while winds from the outer fringes of the storm's circulation uprooted trees, although there was no major damage across the state.