Former Tropical Storm Orlene strengthened to a hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico on Saturday morning. At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Hurricane Orlene was located at latitude 17.8°N and longitude 107.0°W which put it about 200 miles (320 km) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. Orlene was moving toward the north at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 989 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for Las Islas Marias. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from San Blas to Bahia Tempehuaya, Mexico. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Playa Perula to San Blas, Mexico. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Manzanillo to Playa Perula, Mexico.

Former Tropical Storm Orlene strengthened to a hurricane on Saturday morning. A small eye formed at the center of Hurricane Orlene. 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 core of Orlene’s circulation. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

The circulation around Hurricane Orlene was small. Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) in the northeastern quadrant of Orlene. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Orlene will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Orlene will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. Orlene will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Orlene will intensify during the next 24 hours. Orlene could intensify rapidly now that an inner core with an eye and an eyewall has formed. An upper level trough over northwestern Mexico will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Orlene’s circulation later on Sunday. Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase. Hurricane Orlene is likely to weaken when the wind shear increases.

Hurricane Orlene will move around the western end of a high pressure system over Mexico. The high pressure system will steer Orlene toward the north during the next 24 hours. The upper level trough over northwestern Mexico will steer Hurricane Orlene toward the north-northeast on Sunday night and Monday. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Orlene will hit Las Islas Marias early on Monday morning. Orlene is likely to make landfall on the west coast of Mexico on Monday afternoon.