Hurricane Norman strengthens as Category 3 in eastern Pacific

Hurricane Norman, a Category 3 storm in the Pacific, is expected to weakened by midweek. Image courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

UPI

Hurricane Norman, which strengthened into a Category 4 storm in the eastern Pacific Ocean, is weakening as it near Hawai, the National Hurricane Center said Monday.

The eye of the storm was 1,205 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, and 1,385 miles east of Honolulu, the NHC said in its latest update at 8 a.m. PDT. The hurricane was moving west-northwest at 20 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph.

Hurricane-force winds extended 35 miles outward from the storm's center, and tropical storm winds extended outward up to 115 miles. No coastal watches or warnings are in in effect.

The NHC said it's possible that Norman has peaked.

Over the next 24 hours, Norman should still move quickly toward the central Pacific as it is steered by a strong subtropical ridge to the north. By later this week, all models forecast that the hurricane will slow down, then turn toward the northwest toward a weakness in the ridge.