UPDATE: 5 p.m.

Hurricane Dora strengthened into a major hurricane this afternoon in the East Pacific but will not be a threat to land, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Dora, a Category 3 hurricane, is located 700 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Dora is moving toward the west near 16 mph, and this general motion at a similar forward speed is expected to continue for the next few days.

Some additional strengthening is expected tonight, followed by gradual weakening beginning late Thursday and continuing through Friday.

12:30 p.m.

Still a Category 2 hurricane, Dora strengthened further this morning as it continues its westward march in the East Pacific.

The National Hurricane Center said at 11 a.m. that Dora was 2,610 miles east-southeast of Hilo, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, moving west at 16 mph. Dora is a small storm with hurricane-force winds extending only 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds up to 45 miles, forecasters said.

The five-day forecast for Dora has the storm become a major hurricane overnight, peaking as a Category 3 or 4 hurricane with winds of around 130 mph as it moves west, gradually weakening starting by Friday.

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Hurricane Dora continues to strengthen in the East Pacific, far from the Hawaiian islands, and is expected to continue to intensify.

The National Hurricane Center said at 5 a.m. that Dora was 575 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph, moving west at 16 mph. Dora is a small storm with hurricane-force winds extending only 10 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds up to 45 miles, forecasters said.

The five-day forecast for Dora has the storm become a major hurricane later today, peaking as a Category 3 or 4 hurricane with winds of around 130 mph as it moves west, gradually weakening starting by the end of the week.

Forecasters said Dora will weaken back to a Category 1 storm by Sunday when it is expected to cross into the Central Pacific, still far from Hawaii.

Longer-range computer models show Dora hundreds of miles southwest of the Big Island late next week.