Calvin Rapidly Intensifies to a Major Hurricane

Hurricane Calvin rapidly intensified to a major hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean on Friday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Calvin was located at latitude 13.6°N and longitude 123.2°W which put it about 1080 miles (1740 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Calvin was moving toward the west at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 140 m.p.h. (220 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 960 mb.

Hurricane Calvin rapidly intensified to a major hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Baja California on Friday morning. A small circular eye with a diameter of 17 miles (28 km) formed at the center of Calvin’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Hurricane Calvin. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

The size of the circulation around Hurricane Calvin increased as Calvin rapidly intensified. Winds to hurricane force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Calvin’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Calvin was 22.1. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 10.3 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 32.4.

Hurricane Calvin will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours. Calvin will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. It will move through a region where then upper level winds that are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Calvin could intensify during the next 12 hours. Calvin will move over cooler water on Saturday. Hurricane Calvin is likely to weaken when it moves over the cooler water.

Hurricane Calvin will move around the southern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Calvin toward the west during the next several days. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Calvin will move toward the Central Pacific Ocean. Calvin could approach Hawaii on Tuesday. Calvin could still be a tropical storm when it approaches Hawaii.