Olaf intensified into a category 2 hurricane this afternoon in the East Pacific Ocean and is forecast to become a major category 3 hurricane, with winds of 125 mph, on Monday.

The storm is still far from Hawaii and if it follows the forecast path, the storm should take a sharp turn to the north into cooler waters as it crosses into the Central Pacific Monday night or Tuesday morning.

But it is too early to say for certain how close the storm may come to Hawaii and if it will have an effect on the state’s weather.

At 5 p.m. Sunday, Hurricane Olaf was 1,485 miles east-southeast of Hilo, moving west at 12 mph.

Sustained winds increased to near 100 mph, with hurricane-force winds extending 25 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds going out 140 miles from the center.

If it takes a north turn, as expected, it should begin to weaken later in the week, before it nears Hawaii.

Olaf is the 11th hurricane of the Eastern Pacific season.