Hurricane Bonnie strengthened to Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean south of Acapulco, Mexico on Monday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Bonnie was located at latitude 13.9°N and longitude 100.3°W which put it about 210 miles (335 km) south of Acapulco, Mexico. Bonnie was moving toward the west at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h) and and there were wind gusts to 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 978 mb.

Hurricane Bonnie continued to strengthen on Sunday. A small circular eye developed at the center of Bonnie’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Hurricane Bonnie. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the west of the hurricane.

The circulation around Hurricane Bonnie was small. Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of Bonnie. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 90 miles (145 km) from the center. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Bonnie was 16.5. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 7.6 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 24.1.

Hurricane Bonnie will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Bonnie will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. It will move under the southern side of an upper level ridge over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The ridge will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Bonnie’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear. The wind shear will inhibit intensification, but Hurricane Bonnie could intensify during the next 24 hours. Bonnie could strengthen to a major hurricane on Tuesday.

Hurricane Bonnie will move south of a high pressure system over Mexico. The high pressure system will steer Bonnie toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track Hurricane Bonnie will remain southwest of the coast of Mexico.