Pacific hurricane strengthens to Category Four storm

Writer: AFP

Published: 7/08/2009 at 12:00 AM

Hurricane Felicia has strengthened to become a powerful Category Four storm in the Pacific, the US National Hurricane Center said Thursday.

This NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration colorized satellite image shows Hurricane Felicia (L) and Tropical Storm Enrique. Hurricane Felicia has strengthened to become a powerful Category Four storm in the Pacific, the US National Hurricane Center said Thursday.

Packing winds of up to 220 km (140 m/h), the strengthening storm's center was about 2,430 kilometers (1,510 miles) west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California and about 2,490 kilometers (1,545 miles) east of Hilo, Hawaii, the NHC said in its 1500 GMT advisory.

The storm is moving towards the northwest at around 17 kilometers (10 miles) per hour "and a gradual turn to the west-northwest is expected over the next 48 hours," the NHC said.

"Slow weakening is forecast during the next couple of days as Felicia moves over cooler waters," the Miami-based NHC said.

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