The core of Tropical Storm Ignacio organized rapidly on Wednesday and it was upgraded to hurricane status by the National Hurricane Center.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Ignacio was located at latitude 12.2°N and longitude 137.5°W which put it about 1275 miles (2055 km) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.  Ignacio was moving toward the west-northwest at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 992 mb.

A primary rainband wrapped completely around the center of Ignacio and a large eye cleared in the middle of the circulation.   Strong thunderstorms surround the eye in a well formed eyewall.  Other bands of thunderstorms are spiraling around the core of Ignacio.  The upper level winds lessened and the strong convection in the core of Ignacio produced upper level divergence.  The divergence pumped out mass and the surface pressure decreased.  Ignacio is over warm Sea Surface Temperatures.  The environment is favorable for intensification and a period of rapid intensification is possible.  Ignacio could become a major hurricane as it moves across the Central Pacific.

A subtropical ridge is steering Ignacio toward the west.  The ridge is expected to steer the hurricane in a generally west-northwesterly direction during the next few days.  On its anticipated track Ignacio could approach the Big Island of Hawaii in about five days.