Hurricane Kristy has intensified further, with a well-defined eye reappearing on satellite imagery. The storm has recently undergone an eyewall replacement cycle, leading to a more organized structure and increased intensity.
Kristy currently boasts maximum sustained winds of 130 knots (150 mph), making it a powerful Category 4 hurricane.
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Kristy is tracking westward at 15 knots (17 mph) and is expected to continue on this path for the next day, steered by a ridge over the northeastern Pacific. A gradual turn towards the northwest and then north-northwest is anticipated through the weekend, influenced by the ridge and a trough to the west. By the end of the weekend, Kristy is forecast to weaken significantly and its remnants will turn west-southwestward.
Favorable conditions, including warm sea surface temperatures and low wind shear, are expected to support some further intensification over the next 24 hours. However, another eyewall replacement cycle may occur, potentially causing fluctuations in intensity.
Beyond that, Kristy will encounter a much less hospitable environment, with strong wind shear, drier air, and cooler waters. This is expected to cause rapid weakening, with the hurricane transitioning to a post-tropical remnant low within 72 hours and dissipating entirely by 120 hours.
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Forecast models are in good agreement regarding the rapid weakening trend. Simulated satellite imagery shows Kristy losing its convective structure and becoming a remnant low within three days, eventually opening into a trough. The official forecast from the National Hurricane Center aligns with these trends, predicting rapid weakening and eventual dissipation.
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