(CNN) -- Hurricane Norbert has strengthened into an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane and is headed toward the Baja California peninsula, the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, said Wednesday. Hurricane Norbert is expected to make landfall this weekend along Mexico's Baja California peninsula.
Forecasters expect Norbert to make landfall along the southern end of the Mexican peninsula on Saturday, though hurricane forecasts are unpredictable and can change considerably.
At 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, Norbert was about 445 miles (715 km) south of the southern tip of Baja California, the hurricane center said. Its maximum sustained wind speeds had increased to near 135 miles an hour (215 km an hour).
The hurricane formed Monday night and was upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday morning.
I've been watching it because my BIL has a house right on the beach, just one hour north of Cabo. The last time one was suppose to hit Cabo, it went farther north and it hit him dead on. He had a lot of damage to his house and property. He finally got everything back together and I'm praying it doesn't go north again. Maybe it will weaken and won't be so bad, wherever it makes landfall.
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hurricane norbert advisory number 22
nws tpc/national hurricane center miami fl ep152008
200 am pdt thu oct 09 2008
...norbert a little weaker but still a dangerous hurricane...
Interests in the southern baja california peninsula should monitor
the progress of norbert.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible
inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued
by your local weather office.
At 200 am pdt...0900z...the center of hurricane norbert was located
near latitude 17.5 north...longitude 112.5 west or about 410 miles
...660 km...south-southwest of the southern tip of baja california.
Norbert is moving toward the northwest near 7 mph...11 km/hr. a gradual turn toward the north is expected later today followed by a turn toward the north-northeast on friday with some increase in forward speed.
maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph...205 km/hr...with higher
gusts. Norbert is a category three hurricane on the saffir-simpson
scale. some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next 24 hours.
hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles...55 km...from
the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140
miles...220 km.
Estimated minimum central pressure is 954 mb...28.17 inches.
Repeating the 200 am pdt position...17.5 n...112.5 w. Movement
toward...northwest near 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds...125 mph.
Minimum central pressure...954 mb.
The next advisory will be issued by the national hurricane center at
800 am pdt.
The Weather Channel just said that Norbert is a category 3 hurricane. If it makes landfall as a hurricane (not a tropical storm), it'll be the first time in 40 years that Baja has been hit by a hurricane. They also mentioned the formation of what may become "Odile".
I'm glad we got our cruise to Cabo & Ensenada in LAST week!
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Mexico had storms off both coasts late Monday night, with Hurricane Norbert forming off its western coast and Tropical Storm Marco menacing its eastern coast. Tropical Storm Marco is just off the coast of Mexico, with sustained winds of 65 mph.
The more immediate problem is Marco.
The tropical storm churned near the eastern coast of Mexico late Monday and is expected to make landfall in the overnight hours, forecasters said.
A tropical depression that formed Monday afternoon in the Bay of Campeche strengthened hours later into Marco, the National Hurricane Center said.
A hurricane watch is in effect for the Gulf Coast of Mexico from Cabo Rojo southward to Veracruz. A tropical storm warning remains in effect from Cabo Rojo southward to Punta el Lagarto.
In anticipation of the storm, Mexico's state-owned oil company, Pemex, decided to evacuate 33 workers from four oil platforms at sea. It also closed six oil wells and took other steps to guard against possible damage, the company said.
Marco's maximum sustained winds were near 65 mph with higher gusts.
"Some strengthening is possible during the next 24 hours and Marco could approach hurricane strength as it nears the coast," forecasters said.
As of 11 p.m. ET, the center of Marco was located about 65 miles (105 km) northeast of Veracruz and about 155 miles (250 km) east-southeast of Tuxpan, forecasters said. It was moving west-northwest at near 7 mph and was expected to continue doing so over the next day.
"On the forecast track, the center will be near the coast of Mexico within the warning area early Tuesday," according to the hurricane center.
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case within the next 24 hours.
A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours.
Marco was relatively small, however, with tropical storm-force winds extending up to 30 miles (45 km) from its center.
The storm is expected to dump up to six inches of rain across the Mexican states of Veracruz, Puebla, Hildalgo and San Luis Potosi.
The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and ends on November 30.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Norbert formed off the western coast of Mexico late Monday, the National Hurricane Center reported.
The Category 1 storm, with its 75 mph winds, was centered about 315 miles (510 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was tracking toward the west-northwest at about 8 mph.
Norbert is expected to continue this general motion over the next couple of days, before making a swing to the northeast, the five-day forecast map from the hurricane center shows.
The current forecast map shows Hurricane Norbert possibly making landfall along the southern Baja Peninsula on Saturday evening, but hurricane forecasts are unpredictable and can change considerably.
We leave on Monday, October 13th, for Panama Canal. If the hurricane hits land on Saturday do you think the seas will be calm for us? Sea band time!!!
Once a hurricane hits landfall, the seas usually get better. But I would still wear a sea band or pack some Bonine just to be safe. Just remember to start taking the Bonine before you leave the dock. And you can drink with it because it doesn't cause drowsiness like Dramamine does.
Remember that hurricane season doesn't end until late Nov and there could still be more hurricanes or tropical storms to come.
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Hurricane Norbert---Cabo
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Hurricane Norbert is expected to make landfall this weekend along Mexico's Baja California peninsula.
Tropical Storm Marco is just off the coast of Mexico, with sustained winds of 65 mph.
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