Paine becomes 11th hurricane of the season, moving north toward Baja California

Tropical Storm "Paine" formed at 03:00 UTC on September 18, 2016, off the west coast of Mexico and became the 16^th named tropical cyclone of the 2016 Pacific hurricane season. Paine thus tied with 1992 for most tropical cyclones on record formed between July 2 and September 18.

By 09:00 UTC on September 19, Tropical Storm "Paine" strengthened into a hurricane and became the 11^th hurricane of the season, including the record-breaking Hurricane "Pali" of January 2016.

Paine was located about 550 km (340 miles) WSW of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico at 09:00 UTC today, and had maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph), making it a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

The system is expected to start weakening later today / early tomorrow as it begins to move over cooler waters.

Hurricane "Paine" is moving toward the northwest near 24 km/h (15 mph), and a turn toward the north-northwest and north is expected over the next 48 hours. 

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 km (25 miles) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 km (90 miles).

Paine's estimated minimum central pressure is 989 hPa, according to the NWS/NHC.

There are currently no hazards affecting land. 

Paine is expected to become a tropical depression by late UTC Wednesday, September 21, and reach the coast of northern Baja California as a tropical depression by late UTC Thursday, September 22.

Hurricane "Paine" forecast track by NWS/NHC on September 19, 2016

Featured image credit: Hurricane "Paine" at 10:30 UTC on September 19, 2016. Credit: NOAA/GOES-WEST/UW-CIMSS