hurricane, hillary
This NOAA satellite image taken Friday, September 23, 2011 at 1:45 PM EDT shows Tropical Storm Ophelia located about 635 miles east-southeast of the Leeward Islands. The system remains at tropical storm strength with maximum sustained winds up to 40 mph. The forecast storm track takes the system northward through the Atlantic Ocean, and is not a threat to the Gulf of Mexico or the East Coast of the U.S.
Forecasters say Hilary has weakened overnight from a Category 4 hurricane to a still-dangerous Category 3 storm as it churns up heavy surf along Mexico's Pacific coast.

Hilary was a Category 4 storm late Saturday evening, with maximum sustained winds near 135 mph (217 kph). But the National Hurricane Center reported at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 GMT) Sunday that the winds had decreased to near 125 mph (205 kph).

The center says Hilary is a small hurricane centered about 420 miles (675 kilometers) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California. Forecasters say the storm was moving west at 9 mph (15 kph).

The hurricane is not forecast to make landfall as it slowly weakens, but Mexico's southwestern coast continues to be affected by heavy surf from Hilary.

Source: Associated Press