The wave crossed over Panama on September 25, and convection began to increase when it reached the Eastern Pacific, although it was initially disorganized.

[1] Upon becoming a tropical storm, the system was expect to move near the coast of Mexico, and forecasters noted that there was some potential for a landfall.

[2] The system became a little better organized and over warm water and low wind shear Virgil steadily intensified.

[5] Although an eye was no longer visible on satellite imagery, the storms had displayed very deep convection, thus the NHC initially maintained the intensity at 120 mph (195 km/h).

[6] Virgil's eye continued to become less defined, and was downgraded to Category 2 intensity at the time of first landfall on October 4 in Michoacan midway between Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas.[1][7].

[9] The NHC warned the possibility of mudslides and landslides and 15 in (380 mm) of rain in the high terrain of Mexico.

A passenger train north of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, was derailed when it encountered washed-out roadbeds.