Former Tropical Storm Delta rapidly strengthened into a hurricane on Monday.  At 8:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Delta was located at latitude 16.5°N and longitude 79.6°W which put it about 220 miles (355 km) south-southeast of Grand Cayman.  Delta was moving toward the west-northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.

Hurricane Warnings were in effect for Pinar del Rio, Cuba and for the portion of the coast from Tulum to Rio Lagartos, Mexico including Cancun and Cozumel.  Hurricane Watches were in effect for Isle of Youth and Artemisa, Cuba.  A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the Cayman Islands.  A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for La Habana, Cuba.

Delta strengthened from a tropical depression into a hurricane on Monday.  An elliptical eye with a diameter of 18 miles (29 km) formed at the center of Hurricane Delta.  The eye was surrounded by 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 Delta.  Storms near the core generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass allowed the surface pressure to decrease rapidly.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) from the center o circulation.  Winds to tropical storm extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center.

Hurricane Delta will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 36 hours.  Delta will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Delta will continue to intensify and it could strengthen into a major hurricane within 24 hours.

Hurricane Delta will move around the western end of a subtropical high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean.  The high will steer Delta toward the northwest during the next 48 hours.  On its anticipated track Hurricane Delta will be near Cancun and Cozumel in about 24 hours.  Delta could be a major hurricane at that time.  Hurricane Delta will move more toward the north when it moves around the western end of the high on Thursday.  Delta could approach the central Gulf Coast on Thursday night.

Elsewhere, Tropical Depression Gamma was weakening just north of the Yucatan Peninsula.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression Gamma was located at latitude 22.1°N and longitude 88.1°W which put it about 115 miles (185 km) east-northeast of Progreso, Mexico.  Gamma was moving toward the southwest at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.