Hurricane Genevieve rapidly intensified to a major hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico on Sunday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Genevieve was located at latitude 13.4°N and longitude 109.4°W which put the center about 515 miles (825 km) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Genevieve was moving toward the west-northwest 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 963 mb.
A circular eye with a diameter of 20 miles (32 km) formed at the center of Hurricane Genevieve. 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 Genevieve’s circulation. Storms near the core of Genevieve generated strong upper level divergence that pumped large amounts of mass away from the hurricane. The removal of large amounts of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease rapidly.
Winds to hurricane force extended out 45 miles (75 km) in the northern side of Hurricane Genevieve. Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) in the southern side of Genevieve’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 195 miles (315 km) from the center of Hurricane Genevieve.
Hurricane Genevieve will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Genevieve will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Genevieve will intensify during the next 24 hours. Genevieve could continue to intensify rapidly during the next few hours. Hurricane Genevieve could strengthen to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
Hurricane Genevieve will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system that is over the Southwest U.S. The high pressure system will steer Genevieve toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Genevieve will move parallel to the west coast of Mexico.
Elsewhere, Hurricane Fausto was weakening slowly as it moved over the Central North Pacific Ocean. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Fausto was located at latitude 19.9°N and longitude 141.1°W which put the center about 910 miles (1465 km) east of Hilo, Hawaii. Fausto was moving toward the west at 14 m.p.h. (24 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 977 mb.