Former Tropical Storm Dora rapidly intensified to a hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico on Tuesday evening. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Dora was located at latitude 16.2°N and longitude 111.5°W which put it about 510 miles (825 km) west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Dora was moving toward the west at 16 m.p.h. (26 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 994 mb.

A microwave satellite image showed that the inner end of a rainband had wrapped around the center of Hurricane Dora on Tuesday evening. A very small eye was at the center of Dora on the microwave image. The eye was surrounded by a tight ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the small core of Hurricane Dora. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

The circulation around Hurricane Dora was small. Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) from the center of Dora’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Dora will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Dora will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under the center of an upper level ridge over the Eastern North Pacific. The upper level winds are weak near the center of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Dora will intensify during the next 36 hours. Since the circulation around Dora is so small, any changes in the environment will have large effects on the rate of intensification. Dora could continue to intensify rapidly as long as it remains in a favorable environment. Hurricane Dora is could strengthen to a major hurricane by Thursday.

Hurricane Dora will move south of a subtropical high pressure system over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Dora toward the west-southwest during the next few days. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Dora will move farther away from Mexico. Dora could move over the Central Pacific Ocean by the end of the upcoming weekend.