Hurricane Fernanda Forms in the Pacific! (Photo Credit: National Hurricane Center)

Tropical Storm Fernanda has been upgraded to a hurricane by the National Hurricane Center at the 2:00 PM PDT advisory. Currently, Hurricane Fernanda has maximum sustained winds of 80 mph and is still rapidly intensifying. Fernanda is staying on a westward track moving 12 mph in the Pacific Ocean. Hurricane-force winds extend outward of 15 miles from the center of the storm, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward of 60 miles from the center. Forecasters are expecting Hurricane Fernanda to strengthen to a major hurricane by tomorrow evening. The forecasted positions and max winds issued by the National Hurricane Center is as follows:
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS
INIT  13/2100Z 11.2N 116.0W   70 KT  80 MPH
12H  14/0600Z 11.1N 117.5W   85 KT 100 MPH
24H  14/1800Z 10.9N 119.4W  100 KT 115 MPH
36H  15/0600Z 10.9N 121.3W  115 KT 130 MPH
48H  15/1800Z 11.3N 123.5W  120 KT 140 MPH
72H  16/1800Z 12.5N 128.0W  125 KT 145 MPH
96H  17/1800Z 14.0N 132.5W  115 KT 130 MPH
120H  18/1800Z 15.5N 136.0W   95 KT 110 MPH
 
 
The next advisory will be issued around 8:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time.
 
Stay updated on the tropics here!
 
ⓒ 2017 Meteorologist Brandie Cantrell