Hurricane Genevieve intensified to a Category 5 storm early Monday, becoming the first such hurricane in the Eastern Pacific in two years, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported.
The storm was located about 530 miles southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, moving northwest at 13 mph with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph.
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No coastal watches or warnings have been issued, but the NHC warned that swells from Genevieve are creating life-threatening surf and rip currents along parts of Mexico's southwestern coastline and the Baja California Peninsula.
Forecasters expect the hurricane to begin weakening from Tuesday onward as it continues on a path roughly parallel to the Mexican coast but remains far offshore.
Other Pacific Storms
Farther northwest in the Pacific, Hurricane Fausto weakened to a Category 1 storm, with sustained winds of 80 mph.
It was located about 670 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, moving west-northwest at 14 mph.
Fausto is expected to downgrade to a tropical storm soon but may still cause significant surf in parts of Hawaii, forecasters said.
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Genevieve's energy is also influencing surf conditions far north along the U. S.
West Coast, particularly Southern California, where waves of 8 to 11 feet were forecast for beaches in San Diego County during the week.
Adam Roser, a forecaster at the National Weather Service, noted that elevated sea surface temperatures—several degrees above average off southern Baja California and the San Diego coastline—could be linked to an emerging El Niño pattern, potentially fueling stronger storms like Genevieve.
"It is very difficult to determine El Niño's specific impact on any storm," Roser said.
"But sea surface temperatures are several degrees above average off southern Baja, and several degrees above average along the San Diego County coastline."
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Water temperatures at Scripps Pier reached 75.7 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, higher than the usual low 70s for this time of year.
