Hurricane Jova weakened over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Baja California on Thursday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Jova was located at latitude 18.3°N and longitude 118.6°W which put it about 645 miles (1040 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Jova was moving toward the west-northwest at 17 m.p.h. (28 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 951 mb.

Hurricane Jova started an eyewall replacement cycle on Thursday. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the original eye and eyewall. A larger outer eyewall surrounded the original eye and eyewall. The inner eyewall, which was where the strongest winds were, began to weaken after the outer eyewall developed. The inner eyewall was still evident on microwave satellite images on Thursday night. A larger clear area, sometimes called a moat, was between the inner eyewall and the outer eyewall. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the two concentric eyewalls.

Hurricane Jova started to weaken as the eyewall replacement cycle progressed. Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of Jova’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (220 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 23.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 10.4 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 34.0.

Hurricane Jova will move through an environment that will become unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Jova will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are cooler than 26°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Jova will weaken during the next 24 hours as the inner eyewall dissipates. Jova will weaken more quickly when it moves over cooler water.

Hurricane Jova will move around the southern part of a high pressure system over northern Mexico and the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Jova toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Jova will move farther away from Baja California.