Former Tropical Storm Narda intensified to a hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico on Tuesday. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Narda was located at latitude 15.8°N and longitude 107.3°W which put the center about 295 miles (475 km) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Narda was moving toward the west at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 981 mb.
Former Tropical Storm Narda intensified to a hurricane on Tuesday. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the western side of Narda’s circulation. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Hurricane Narda. Storms near the center of Narda 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 blowing in the northern side of Hurricane Narda. Winds to hurricane force extended out 20 miles (30 km) in the northern half of Narda’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Hurricane Narda.
Hurricane Narda will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Narda will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge that is over northwestern Mexico. The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Narda’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear. The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear will not be enough to stop intensification. Hurricane Narda will intensify during the next 24 hours.
Hurricane Narda will move around the southern side of a high pressure system that is over Mexico and the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Narda toward the west during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Narda will move south of Baja California on Wednesday.
