Hurricane Karina and Tropical Storm Lowell were churning westward over the North Pacific Ocean on Monday evening.

At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Karina was located at latitude 17.8°N and longitude 126.6°W which put the center about 1135 miles (1830 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Karina was moving toward the west-northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 950 mb.

Hurricane Karina maintained its intensity on Monday as it churned west over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.  A circular eye with a diameter of 12 miles (19 km) was at the center of Karina’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 Karina’s circulation.  Storms near the core of Karina generated upper level divergence that pumped large amounts of mass away from the hurricane. The removal of mass in the upper levels was nearly equal to the convergence of mass in the lower levels of the atmosphere.  So, the surface pressure was nearly constant on Monday.

The distribution of wind speeds in Hurricane Karina was fairly symmetrical.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Karina’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center of Hurricane Karina.

Hurricane Karina will move through an environment favorable for a strong hurricane during the next 24 hours.  Karina will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Karina is likely to maintain its intensity on Tuesday.

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

Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Lowell intensified gradually on Monday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Lowell was located at latitude 13.0°N and longitude 147.4°W which put the center about 690 miles (1110 km) southeast Hilo, Hawaii.  Lowell was moving toward the west at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 993 mb.

Hurricane Karina rapidly intensified to a major hurricane on Sunday evening as it moved over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Baja California.  At 8:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Karina was located at latitude 17.2°N and longitude 123.4°W which put the center about 960 miles (1545 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Karina was moving toward the west at 9 m.p.h. (15 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 955 mb.

Hurricane Karina rapidly intensified to a major hurricane on Sunday evening.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Karina’s circulation.  A circular eye with a diameter of 25 miles (40 km) formed at the center of Hurricane Karina.  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 Karina’s circulation.  Storms near the core of Karina 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.

The inner core of Hurricane Karina was very small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) from the center of Karina’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 205 miles (335 km) from the center of Hurricane Karina.

Hurricane Karina will move through an environment mostly favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Karina 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.  However, there is a mass of drier air just to the west and north of Hurricane Karina.  The drier air will inhibit intensification of Karina, but the drier air probably will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Hurricane Karina is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.  Karina could continue to intensify rapidly during the next few hours, if the drier air does not get pulled into its circulation.

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

Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Lowell moved over the Central Pacific Ocean.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Lowell was located at latitude 13.3°N and longitude 141.8°W which put the center about 985 miles (1585 km) east-southeast Hilo, Hawaii.  Lowell was moving toward the west at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 999 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Karina strengthened to a hurricane as it moved over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Baja California on Saturday night.  At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Karina was located at latitude 17.3°N and longitude 121.1°W which put the center about 820 miles (1325 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Karina was moving toward the west-northwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Karina strengthened to a hurricane on Saturday night.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the western and southern sides of the center of Karina’s circulation.  An eye appeared to be forming at the center of Hurricane Karina.

The distribution of thunderstorms in Hurricane Karina was asymmetrical.  Thunderstorms were mostly occurring in bands in the southern half of Karina’s circulation.  Bands in the northern half of Hurricane Karina consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Karina generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The strongest winds were occurring in the northeastern part of Hurricane Karina.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) in the northeastern quadrant of Karina’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 230 miles (370 km) from the center of Hurricane Karina.

Hurricane Karina will move through an environment mostly favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Karina will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  However, there is a mass of drier air just to the west and north of Hurricane Karina.  The drier air will inhibit intensification of Karina, but the drier air probably will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Hurricane Karina is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.  Karina could intensify rapidly at times, if the drier air does not get pulled into its circulation.  Karina strengthen to a major hurricane by Monday morning.

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

Elsewhere over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Lowell was moving west toward the Central Pacific.  At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Lowell was located at latitude 13.2°N and longitude 139.1°W which put the center about 1150 miles (1850 km) east-southeast Hilo, Hawaii.  Lowell was moving toward the west at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.