Tropical Storm Hector intensified into the fourth hurricane of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season early Thursday. Hector is the first hurricane to form in the east Pacific basin since Fabio in early July. Hector is likely to intensify into a major hurricane as it tracks generally westward over the next several days. It is too soon to determine if Hector will have direct impacts in Hawaii.

As of 8:00 a.m. PDT (11:00 a.m. EDT) Thursday, Hurricane Hector was centered near 14.2°N 124.6°W, and was moving westward at about 14 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 75 knots (85 mph), with an estimated minimum pressure of 987 mb. Despite expected strong shear, Hector has unexpectedly rapidly intensified sooner than anticipated. It is still a possibility an increase in shear could slow Hector’s intensification or even cause the hurricane to weaken over the next day or so. After that time, environmental conditions are expected to become even more conducive for development, and Hector is likely to become a major hurricane this weekend as it crosses over into the Central Pacific basin. Hector poses no immediate threat to land. However, it is too soon to determine if Hector will bring direct impacts to the Hawaiian Islands.

There are two other systems in the eastern Pacific that have potential to develop into tropical cyclones over the next five days. The first is a tropical wave located well southwest of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) gives this system a 10 percent chance of development within 48 hours, and a 30 percent chance within five days. The second is a disorganized area of disturbed weather located well south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. NHC gives this system a 10 percent chance of development during the next 48 hours, but a 90 percent chance within five days. The next two names on the eastern Pacific naming list are Ileana and John.