Tropical Storm Karina strengthened into a hurricane in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, with forecasters indicating it could become a major storm this week. The cyclone's center was positioned far out at sea and is not threatening any landmasses.
Karina's maximum sustained winds reached 80 miles per hour (130 kilometers per hour), classifying it as a Category 1 hurricane, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. A major hurricane is defined as Category 3 or greater.
The storm was situated approximately 820 miles (1,325 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula. It is moving northwest at 15 miles per hour (24 kilometers per hour), following a forecast path that takes it further into the Pacific.
Although Karina is expected to remain well offshore, the hurricane center advised that swells generated by the storm could cause dangerous surf and rip current conditions along portions of southwest Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula.
In separate Pacific activity, Tropical Storm Lowell was located 1,150 miles (1,850 kilometers) southeast of Hawaii. This storm also poses no immediate threat to land.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has projected a below-average Atlantic hurricane season, attributing this forecast to the presence of El Niño. The agency predicted eight to 14 named storms for the Atlantic season, with three to six expected to reach hurricane strength and one to three intensifying into major hurricanes.