User:CooperScience/Hurricane Hector

Hurricane Hector is currently an intense tropical cyclone threatening the Hawaiian Islands, and is the strongest tropical cyclone to form in or cross into the central Pacific Ocean since Hurricane Ioke in 2006. The eighth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season, Hector developed from an area of low pressure that formed several hundred miles off the Mexican coast on July 28. The low gradually organized, becoming a tropical depression on July 31. The depression quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Hector early the following day. Hector continued to quickly organize, entering a period of rapid intensification on August 2 that brought it to a high-end Category 2 hurricane that afternoon. After undergoing fluctuations in intensity as it continued westward, Hector developed a small and well-defined eye as it strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane early on August 4. Early the following day, Hector strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane. The hurricane briefly weakened after undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle, but it restrengthened afterward to reach its peak intensity as a powerful Category 4 hurricane.

Meteorological history
Late on July 26, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasted the development of an area of low pressure that was expected to form several hundred miles off the southwest coast of Mexico. Two days later, an area of low pressure formed in the forecasted vicinity several hundred miles south-southeast of Acapulco, Mexico. Gradual organization occurred as the system moved west-northwestward across the deep tropical Pacific Ocean. By 21:00 UTC on July 31, the disturbance had organized sufficiently to be classified as a tropical depression. The tropical depression quickly strengthened, becoming Tropical Storm Hector at 03:00 UTC on August 1. Despite forecasts of moderate wind shear that was expected to briefly limit further development, Hector continued to organize, becoming a hurricane at 14:00 UTC the following day. Rapid intensification ensued, which brought Hector to a high-end Category 2 hurricane just six hours later. However, the effects of northeasterly shear and dry air intrusion caused Hector to weaken back to a Category 1 hurricane. The weakening was short-lived, however, and Hector soon restrengthened as it developed a more defined eye. Early on August 4, Hector became the third major hurricane of the 2018 season.

The small hurricane underwent an eyewall replacement cycle late on August 4, which briefly halted further strengthening. However, after the cycle was complete, Hector resumed strengthening as it acquired annular characteristics and its windfield expanded. At 03:00 UTC on August 4, Hector strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane. Another eyewall replacement cycle caused Hector to weaken once again to Category 3 status early the following day. However, Hector's structure began to improve again on August 5, and by 21:00 UTC it had reached Category 4 status once again. Afterward, strengthening continued as Hector moved into the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)'s area of responsibility.