Hurricane Simon contines to churn Saturday in the Eastern Pacific, National Hurricane Center forecasters based in Miami said. ADVERTISING Hurricane Simon contines to churn Saturday in the Eastern Pacific, National Hurricane Center forecasters based in Miami said. Simon, which is
Hurricane Simon contines to churn Saturday in the Eastern Pacific, National Hurricane Center forecasters based in Miami said.
Simon, which is located about 310 miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, is packing maximum sustained winds around 110 mph and traveling toward the west-northwest around 13 mph. Simon is forecast to strengthen during the next 48 hours before starting to weaken. It will likely reach major hurricane status on Saturday.
Hurricane force winds currently extend outward 25 miles while tropical storm force winds extend outward to 70 miles from the center of Simon.
National Hurricane Center officials in May predicted 14 to 20 named storms and seven to 11 hurricanes — including three to six major hurricanes — to form this year in the Eastern Pacific Basin. Overall, they gave the 2014 season a 50 percent chance of being above normal, 40 percent chance of being near-normal and a 10 percent chance of being below normal.
The Eastern Pacific averages 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes each year, according to the center.
The Eastern Pacific hurricane season began May 15 and ends Nov. 30.
