Hurricane Dora rapidly intensified to a major hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Baja California on Wednesday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Dora was located at latitude 15.2°N and longitude 116.9°W which put it about 700 miles (1130 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Dora was moving toward the west at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 956 mb.

Hurricane Dora continued to intensify rapidly on Wednesday and Dora reached major hurricane intensity on Wednesday evening. A small eye with a diameter of 12 miles (19 km) was at the center of Dora’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 Dora. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane in all directions.

The circulation around Hurricane Dora was very small. Winds to hurricane force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Dora’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 23.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was only 5.6 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 29.2. Most of Hurricane Dora’s circulation would fit inside the outer eyewall of Typhoon Khanun.

Hurricane Dora will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Dora will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. It through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Dora is likely to continue to intensify during the next 24 hours. Dora could continue to intensify rapidly during the next 12 hours. Since the circulation around Hurricane Dora is so small, any changes in the environment will have large effects on the intensity of Hurricane Dora.

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 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Dora will move farther away from Mexico. Dora could be southeast of Hawaii by the early next week.