Hurricane Olaf Projected Path Updated by National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Olaf is expected to strengthen to a major hurricane far out over the Pacific. Additional strengthening is forecast, and Hurricane Olaf could become a Category 4 storm Monday evening, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center report.

As of 5 a.m., Hurricane Olaf was about 1,345 miles east-southeast of Hilo, traveling at a rate of about 14 mph in a west direction.

Sustained winds increased to 115 mph, with hurricane-force winds extending 25 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds going out 140 miles from the center.

On its current trajectory, Olaf - the 11th hurricane of the eastern Pacific season - would stay away from land and out over open water in the coming days, it said. From roughly midday on Wednesday October 21 the hurricane will begin to weaken as it encounters cooler sea surface temperatures and drier tropospheric conditions. A turn toward the west-northwest is expected later in the day. Now Olaf is Category 3. The intensity forecasts are more variable among models, with a significant number not forecasting Olaf intensification to Category 4 strength.