Hurricane Karina strengthens to Category 4 in eastern Pacific
Hurricane Karina has strengthened into a Category 4 storm in the eastern Pacific, with maximum sustained winds reaching 145 mph (230 km/h), Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), Karina was located near 17.2°N, 124.4°W, about 1,020 miles (1,640 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. The hurricane was moving west at about 9 mph (15 km/h).
Karina is expected to continue moving west through Monday before turning west-northwest on Tuesday. Further strengthening is possible on Monday, followed by fluctuations in intensity through the middle of the week.
Hurricane-force winds extend up to 40 miles (65 km) from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reach as far as 150 miles (240 km).
There are currently no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
Swells generated by Karina will affect parts of the coast of southwest Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula over the next several days. The swells are expected to spread northward to southern California from Monday through midweek and could produce life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that East China’s Zhejiang Province raised its typhoon emergency response to Level I, the highest level, as Typhoon Saudel approached.
