The third hurricane in the East Pacific this season intensified rapidly on Tuesday off the west coast of Mexico, becoming the second major storm of the season as it is predicted to sweep Baja California.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said Hurricane Genevieve now has maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, and is located about 390 miles southeast of the southern tip of Baja California.
The storm is moving northwest at 16 mph.
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In its 8am ET update, the NHC said Genevieve “rapidly intensified” to a Category 4 hurricane less than 24 hours after hurricane strength was reached.
Hurricane Genevieve can be seen off the coast of Mexico on August 18, 2020.
(NOAA / GOES-East)
“Extra rapid reinforcement is possible in the next 12 to 24 hours,” the NHC explained.
Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist at the NHC, said the storm was an “impressive hurricane” on satellite.
“Another beast, but very well anticipated by forecasts,” he tweeted.
According to forecasters, Genevieve is moving to the northwest, which is expected to continue as the storm slows down by early Thursday.
“On the forecast track, the center of Genevieve is expected to run parallel to just the coast of southwestern Mexico offshore for the next day or so,” the NHC said. “The center of the hurricane is expected to move Wednesday night and Thursday to the southwest of the southern part of the Baja California Peninsula.”
The forecast track of Hurricane Genevieve.
(National Hurricane Center (NHC))
While the hurricane is now a Category 4 storm that packs wind of 130 mph, forecasters say Genevieve will not maintain that in the coming days. Forecasters said “rapid weakening” is expected by late Wednesday and should continue through the end of the week.
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
(Fox News)
The storm is not predicted to make landfall, but is still expected to affect the coast of Mexico.
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A tropical storm warning has been issued for the southern Baja California peninsula from Los Barriles to Todos Santos, while tropical storm surges are heading further north.
Forecasters say tropical storm conditions with high winds over 40 mph and rain on Wednesday afternoon in the southern Baja California peninsula are expected, especially over higher terrain.
Winds of hurricane force extend outward to 30 miles from the center of the storm, while winds of tropical storm force stretch to 150 miles.
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Forecasters also warn that large swells produced by Genevieve will affect parts of the southern coast of Mexico and will spread north until Wednesday.
“These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and current conditions,” the NHC said.
Genevieve is the seventh storm so far this season and the third hurricane and second major storm after Douglas, which intensified into a Category 4 before Hawaii gave a near-miss last month.
Elida followed, reinforcing a Category 2 storm from Mexico and bringing rip currents to the area.
Hurricane season in the Pacific and for Hawaii lasts from June 1 to the end of November. August and September are historically active months for cyclones in the region.
Last year, four tropical cyclones developed in the Central Pacific Ocean. No one directly affects Hawaii.
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In 2018, the massive and mighty Hurricane Lane made a last-minute turn and narrowed Oahu, Hawaii’s most populous island. The last major hurricane to hit the state was Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which struck Kauai and caused massive damage across the island.
Adam Klotz, Fox News of Fox News, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
