Hurricane Karina Strengthens to Category 1, Swells Threaten Pacific Coast
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Tropical Storm Karina has upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph. The storm is located about 880 miles west‑southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula and is moving west‑northwest at roughly 9 mph. NOAA satellite imagery shows the system churning over the eastern Pacific.
Experts anticipate steady to rapid intensification that could bring the cyclone to major hurricane status within a day or two before conditions become less supportive. While the cyclone is not expected to make landfall, its outer bands are likely to generate strong surf and rip currents along the coasts of southwest Mexico and the Baja Peninsula.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 84h later
Why it matters
The strengthening storm could create dangerous coastal conditions for residents and beachgoers in Mexico and Baja California.
How this story developed
- Aug 30 Pacific Hurricane Karina Reaches Category 1 Strength, Threatens Coastal Swells
- Aug 31 A tropical storm warning now covers sections of the Louisiana and Texas shoreline as Potential Tropical Cyclone Five approaches, with the possibility of becoming Tropical Storm Edouard.
- Aug 31 The UN says a rapidly intensifying El Niño may become the strongest in 70 years, raising the risk of droughts, floods and heat worldwide through early 2027.
- Sep 1 Edouard was upgraded from a depression to a tropical storm and now carries a hurricane watch for parts of the Texas and Louisiana coasts.
- Sep 1 Edouard reached the Gulf Coast near Johnson Bayou and tracked westward into southeastern Texas.
- Sep 3 UN says the El Niño is expected to remain in place until February 2027.
- Sep 5 Karina has been upgraded to Category 1 strength.
