Hurricane Marie is now a powerful Category 5 hurricane as it churns off the Mexican coast this evening, packing sustained winds of around 160 MPH. The eastern Pacific hurricane rapidly strengthened from a Category 1 to a Category 5 in just 24 hours.

The intense storm is the fifth major hurricane to form in the basin so far this year, and Marie is the eastern Pacific's first hurricane to reach Category 5 intensity in more than four years. Thankfully, the hurricane will weaken as it continues to move northwest away from land.

The storm could still have some effects on the southern California coast in the way of high surf and rip currents. The National Weather Service warns that the high waves could bring beach erosion and "minor coastal flooding" later in the week.

Tropical Storm Cristobal

A short hop across the continent, Tropical Storm Cristobal continues to produce foul weather in parts of the Bahamas as it slowly moves towards the north. After more than a week of anxious hype on social media thanks to some irresponsible rabble-rousers, it turns out that the storm will have little effect on the United States other than some high waves and the potential for rip currents.

Aside from these two storms, it doesn't look like there will be much tropical activity near land in either basin for at least the rest of the week.

[Images via GOES and the author]
