Felix became a hurricane earlier this evening. It is in the southern Caribbean, about 210 miles east of Aruba. It is moving west at 18 mph.
A hurricane watch has been issued for the islands of Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire. Tropical storm warnings are also in effect. The hurrcaien force winds should stay just north of the islands, but because of the forecast uncertainty, the watch has been hoisted.
Satellite photos show the warm spot of an eye. The Air Force plane reported a circular eye 30 miles in diameter.
Top winds are 75 mph. The central pressure is 993 mb. Felix will continue to intensify, likely rapidly at some point over the next three days. It will become a major hurricane by Tuesday night.
The new forecast track is basically unchanged. The storm will brush Honduras then head toward Belize. There is still a great deal of uncertainty toward the end of the five day forecast, with the chance that a trough over the U.S. will turn the hurricane on a more northerly course.
