Hurricane Flossie intensified to a major 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 Flossie was located at latitude 18.2°N and longitude 107.4°W which put the center about 365 miles (585 km) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.   Flossie was moving toward the west-northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 140 m.p.h. (220 km/h).   The minimum surface pressure was 962 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Punta San Telmo to Playa Perula, Mexico.

Hurricane Flossie continued to intensify on Tuesday evening.  A circular eye was at the center of Flossie’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 Flossie.  Storms near the center of Flossie generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane in all directions.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Hurricane Flossie was relatively small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of Flossie’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 90 miles (145 km) from the center of Hurricane Flossie.

The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Flossie is 20.6.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 8.3 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 28.9.  Hurricane Flossie is similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Zeta when Zeta hit Louisiana in 2020.

Hurricane Flossie will move through an environment that will be somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours.  Flossie will move over water where where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 27°C.  It will move under the middle of an upper level ridge over Mexico and the adjacent part of the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.  The upper level winds are weak near the middle of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Flossie could continue to intensify during the next 12 hours.  Flossie will move over cooler water later in Wednesday.  Hurricane Flossie will start to weaken when it moves over cooler water.

Hurricane Flossie will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over Mexico.  The high pressure system will steer the Flossie toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Hurricane Flossie will start to move farther away from the coast of southwestern Mexico.  Flossie will move south of Baja California on Wednesday night.

Bands in the northeastern side of Hurricane Flossie will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to parts of the coast of southwestern Mexico.  The heaviest rain will fall in parts of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.