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Weakened Hurricane Georgette could bring rain, surf to Hawaii

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NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

A composite satellite image this morning shows, from left, Tropical Depression Darby, Hurricane Georgette and Tropical Storm Frank.

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NOAA / GOES WEST Hurricane Georgette intensified into a major hurricane overnight, while Tropical Storm Frank moved into cooler waters.

Hurricane Georgette is beginning to weaken as it moves into cooler waters in the East Pacific.

Forecasters said Georgette’s remnants could bring rain and surf to the state this weekend as it passes near Hawaii. The system is expected to weaken to below tropical depression strength by then.

Georgette intensified quickly overnight into a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph at 5 a.m.

Its intensity dropped to 110 mph at 11 a.m., making it a category 2 storm, about 1,120 miles west-southwest of Baja California at 5 a.m. and moving northwest at 9 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Hurricane-force winds extend only 10 miles from the center, while tropical storm-force winds extend out 45 miles.

Forecasters expect it to weaken to a post-tropical cyclone as it enters the Central Pacific.

Farther east, Tropical Storm Frank had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, 330 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, moving west-northwest at 6 mph, as of 11 a.m. Hawaii time, according to the hurricane center. Tropical storm-force winds extend up to 70 miles from Frank’s center.

Like Georgette, Frank is expected to weaken this week. Forecasters expect it to be a tropical depression by the end of the week when it will still be hundreds of miles east of the Central Pacific.

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