Hurricanes Ignacio and Jimena are heading steadily westward over the Pacific Ocean.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Ignacio was located at latitude 14.6°N and longitude 144.5°W which put it about 785 miles (1260 km) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.  Ignacio was moving toward the northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 90 m.p.h. (150 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 105 m.p.h. (170 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 982 mb.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Jimena was located at latitude 12.3°N and longitude 123.1°W which put it about 1135 miles (1825 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Jimena was moving toward the west at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (170 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 972 mb.

Hurricane Ignacio has remained in a relatively steady state during much of today.  It is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C, but an upper level trough near Hawaii is causing some vertical wind shear.  Recent satellite images indicate that an eye may be forming and the core of Ignacio’s circulation is becoming better organized.  Ignacio could strengthen during the next day or so before it moves farther west and the vertical wind shear increases.  A subtropical ridge is steering Ignacio toward the west-northwest and that general motion is expected to continue during the weekend.  Ignacio could be approaching the Big Island of Hawaii in about three days.

Hurricane Jimena intensified rapidly on Friday and it is on the verge of becoming a major hurricane.  It has a very well formed eye with a ring of strong thunderstorms around it.  The upper level winds near Jimena are light and upper level divergence is pumping out mass in all directions.  Jimena is over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are between 29°C and 30°C and further intensification is likely.  Eye replacement cycles could cause periodic fluctuations in the intensity of Jimena.  Jimena is about 1400 miles (2260 km) east of Ignacio and it could eventually move over some cooler water stirred to the surface by the other hurricane.  The subtropical ridge is also steering JImena toward the west and that motion is expected to continue for the next few days.