Cyclone Karina reached Category 3 in the Pacific Ocean, with potential for further intensification, according to the latest bulletin from the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC).
At the time of the report, the system was located approximately 1,545 kilometers southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. The NHC had issued the first alert on Karina as a tropical storm on August 27.
On Sunday morning, the cyclone rose to Category 1 and shortly thereafter surpassed the necessary threshold to be classified as Category 3. Forecasts indicate the possibility of 'some additional intensification' later today.
Currently, the hurricane is moving west at a speed of about nine kilometers per hour, and there is no forecast for direct coastal impact at this time, nor have formal warnings been issued.
The NHC issued an alert only regarding the probability of strong waves and rip currents caused by Karina, which may affect areas off the southwestern coast of Mexico and the Baja California peninsula in the coming days.
Prior to Karina, three other hurricanes emerged this season in the eastern and central Pacific basins. Among them, Lala stood out, reaching major hurricane category in mid-August and impacting the Hawaiian archipelago.
The El Niño climate phenomenon, characterized by unusual warming of Pacific waters, tends to increase cyclonic activity in the region. The NHC projects the formation of between five and 13 tropical storms in the central Pacific during the period from June 1st to November 30th.