Hurricane Rachel strengthened to a major hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean south of Baja California on Thursday afternoon.

At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Rachel was located at latitude 19.4°N and longitude 109.5°W which put the center about 245 miles (390 km) south of the southern tip of Baja California.  Rachel was moving toward the west at 3 m.p.h. (5 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. (225 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 950 mb.

Hurricane Rachel intensified to a major hurricane on Thursday afternoon.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Rachel’s circulation.  A circular eye with a diameter of 12 miles (19 km) was at the center of Rachel’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 Rachel’s circulation.  Storms near the core of Rachel generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The distribution of winds speeds in Hurricane Rachel was fairly symmetrical.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 40 miles (65 km) from the center of Rachel’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) from the center of Hurricane Rachel.

The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Rachel is 22.1.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 14.0 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 36.1.  Hurricane Rachel is similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Milton when Milton hit Florida in 2024.

Hurricane Rachel will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Rachel 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 Rachel will intensify during the next 24 hours.  Rachel will move over cooler water during the weekend.  Hurricane Rachel will start to weaken when it moves over the cooler water.

Hurricane Rachel will move around the western part of a high pressure system that is over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will Rachel toward the west during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Rachel will gradually move farther away from Baja California.

Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Nolo started to intensify again far to the west of Hawaii.

At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Nolo was located at latitude 22.3°N and longitude 165.5°W which put the center about 120 miles (195 km) south-southeast of French Frigate Shoals.  Nolo was moving toward the northwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 993 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Nihoa to Maro Reef including French Frigate Shoals.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Maro Reef to Lisianski Island.