Hurricane Karina Rapidly Intensifies to Category 3 in Pacific

Hurricane Karina rapidly intensified into a major Category 3 storm in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on Sunday, August 30, 2026, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm, which began the day as a Category 1 hurricane, experienced explosive strengthening over open waters, with its maximum sustained winds jumping from 80 mph to 125 mph. Its central pressure dropped to 955 millibars, marking its transition into a dangerous major hurricane.

As of Sunday evening, Karina was located approximately 960 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. The storm was moving west at 9 mph on a forecast path expected to take it farther out into the Pacific Ocean, well away from any landmass. The National Hurricane Center stated there was no direct threat to land, and no coastal watches or warnings were in effect.

Despite the storm's distance from shore, officials warned of significant coastal hazards. The massive swells generated by Hurricane Karina were traveling hundreds of miles toward the mainland, producing life-threatening surf and dangerous rip current conditions. These hazards were expected to affect beaches along southwest Mexico and the Baja...