Bloomberg: Aug 18, 2011
Hurricane Greg strengthened in the Pacific south of Baja California as it moved away from land, and a Caribbean system may become a tropical depression as early as today, the National Hurricane Center said.
The showers 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of Jamaica have a 70 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone within two days, the center said in an advisory. The system is moving west at 15 mph, and Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize and eastern Yucatan residents were advised to monitor its progress.
Hurricane Greg, bearing 80 mph winds, is 340 miles south of the tip of Baja California, the Miami-based center said. The hurricane, rated Category 1 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, is moving west-northwest at 21 mph.
Greg should continue to strengthen over the next day at sea without endangering land, then weaken starting tomorrow, the center said on its website.
Further in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Fernanda is 1,115 miles south of Hawaii moving west with 65 mph winds. The NHC gave a 10 percent chance of tropical cyclone formation too to a wave of showers about 850 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands.