UPDATE: Jimena Becomes Eighth Hurricane of East Pacific Season

***Updated with information from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and National Huricane Center’s 11 p.m. updates.***

As of the 11 p.m. NHC update, Jimena has held maximum sustained winds near 80 mph with higher gusts.

The system is now the eighth hurricane of the East Pacific hurricane season. Additional strengthening is expected with Jimena becoming a major hurricane by Saturday.

Image: NHC 11 P.M.

The system is moving west at 14 mph and expected to move west-northwest on Saturday.

Hurricane Ignacio has not changed much in intensity, track or forecast guidance since the 5 p.m. update. See details below.

***Updated at 5 p.m.***

By Meteorologist Malika Dudley

Hurricane Ignacio crossed into the Central Pacific this morning making it the eighth tropical cyclone in the Central Pacific basin for the 2015 hurricane season. The system looks a bit more ragged on satellite as compared to this morning but the strength of the system remains unchanged since the last update.

Central Pacific Hurricane Center image, as of 5 p.m.

As of the 5 p.m. Central Pacific Hurricane Center advisory Ignacio is a category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 90 mph. The system is moving west near 13 mph. This general motion is expected to continue during the next couple of days with a slight decrease in forward speed tonight.

Gradual strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, then a weakening trend is expected to begin as the system passes over cooler sea surface temperatures and encounters vertical wind shear. Hurricane force winds extend 25 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend 80 miles from the center.

National Hurricane Center image, as of 5 p.m.

The system has been nudged southward of the previous track in this update. The general track remains unchanged with the system traveling in the direction of the Hawaiian Islands.

Meanwhile, tropical storm Jimena is quickly strengthening in the Eastern Pacific. Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph with additional strengthening expected. Jimena is forecasted to become a hurricane tonight or Friday and a major hurricane on Saturday.

Central Pacific Hurricane Center image, as of 11 a.m.

***Updated at 11 a.m. to include information from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and National Huricane Center’s 11 a.m. updates.***

Hurricane Ignacio has entered Central Pacific waters as expected. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center noted that as of 11 a.m., Ignacio was 1,055 miles east-southeast of Hilo, moving at 13 miles per hour in a west direction.

The storm has maintained wind speeds of 90 miles per hour and is expected to strengthen in the next day, with the potential to become a major hurricane by Friday.  An eventual gradual weakening is still expected through, as forecasters say vertical wind shear will allow condtions to be favorable for weakening.

National Hurricane Center image, as of 11 a.m.

Tropical Storm Jimena continues to be monitored by the National Hurricane Center. The storm was about 925 miles southwest of Baja, Calif., as of 11 a.m., with westward movement at about 13 mph.

Since 5 a.m., the storm has strengthened to maximum sustained winds of 60 mph.

Tropical Storm Jimena has turned west as it was earlier forecasted. NHC notes that Jimena is expected to turn west-northwest over the weekend.

***Original story posted at 7:34 a.m.***

By: Jamilia Epping

Hurricane Ignacio is expected to enter the Central Pacific at some point Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 5 a.m. advisory.

Ignacio was 1,135 miles east-southeast of Hilo, moving in a west-northwest direction at about 13 miles per hour with growing strength.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to 90 mph with expected strengthening in the forecast over the next 48 hours. It has the potential to become a major hurricane on Friday.

Following the next 48 hours, the storm is expected to encounter increasing western shear and move to slightly cooler water that will be conducive to gradual weakening.

National Hurricane Center image, as of 5 a.m.

NHC continues to monitor Tropical Storm Jimena, located just off the coast of Mexico and about 890 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja, Calif., traveling at 17 mph in a west-northwest direction.

Maximum sustained winds for the storm were 45 mph, as of 5 a.m.

Forecasts predict that the storm will take a turn toward the west at some point Thursday and decrease in forward speed.

The storm is expected to strengthen and become a hurricane on Friday.