Genevieve Explodes Into a Category 5 Hurricane Overnight
Hurricane Genevieve strengthened into a Category 5 storm early Monday, the first hurricane of that strength in the eastern Pacific in two years. The storm remains far from land, but dangerous surf and rip currents are spreading along Mexico's coast.
Genevieve Explodes Into a Category 5 Storm Over the Open Pacific
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Genevieve's maximum sustained winds reached 160 mph early Monday, with a minimum central pressure of 925 millibars. The storm was centered about 530 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, moving northwest at 13 mph.
Genevieve underwent rapid intensification over the weekend, jumping from a Category 1 to a major hurricane in less than a day before reaching Category 5 strength Monday morning. It's the first storm of that intensity in the East Pacific since Hurricane Kristy in 2024, and the first major hurricane of the 2026 East Pacific season.
The storm isn't forecast to threaten land directly. Genevieve is on track to continue moving northwest to west-northwest over the next couple of days before encountering cooler waters and a less favorable environment, which will drive weakening later this week.
Dangerous Surf and Rip Currents Spreading Along Mexico's Coast
Even hundreds of miles offshore, Genevieve's swells are reaching Mexico's southwestern coast and the southern Baja California Peninsula, with the surf expected to spread north along the rest of Baja's west coast through Monday night. NHC forecasters warned those swells are capable of producing life-threatening surf and rip currents.
Southern California beaches, including San Diego County, are also expected to see elevated surf from the storm's swells in the coming days, even though Genevieve itself will stay far out at sea.
What's Next
Genevieve's intensity may fluctuate through the rest of Monday, but forecasters expect the hurricane to hold major status through at least Wednesday before a steady weakening trend sets in for the remainder of the week as it moves over cooler water.
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