Elida now Category 2 hurricane off Mexico as forecasters eye storm system closer to Central Pacific
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
This map shows Hurricane Elida off the Baja California Peninsula and the location of another system (marked with a yellow X on the lower left) about 1,900 miles east-southeast of Hilo that may form into a tropical cyclone later this week.
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
The 5-day forecast track of Hurricane Elida as of 5 a.m. Hawaii time today.
MEXICO CITY >> Hurricane Elida grew to Category 2 force off Mexico’s northwestern coast today, but forecasters said it was not expected to pose a threat to land. However, an area of disturbed weather closer to Hawaii has a high likelihood of becoming a tropical cyclone within the next five days.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm, which reached hurricane force Monday, had grown to have maximum sustained winds of 100 mph today.
It was centered about 250 miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula and was heading to the west-northwest at 14 mph.
It was expected to remain out to sea while starting to weaken later today while moving over cooler waters.
The Hurricane Center said that swells generated by Elida were expected to affect portions of the coast of west-central Mexico and the southern Baja California Peninsula during the next day or two.
Meanwhile, the elongated area of disturbed weather located about 1,900 miles east-southeast of Hilo is expected to form a low-pressure system within the next day or two, likely becoming a tropical cyclone late this week, forecasters said. It’s expected to move slowly westward toward the Central Pacific over the next several days.
Elida is the second hurricane of the eastern Pacific season, following last month’s Hurricane Douglas.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser contributed to this report.
