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Hurricane Felix now a category 3

2:00 p.m. ET 9/2/07
Mark Ressler, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

Hurricane Felix continues to strengthen in the Caribbean, passing north of the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

After a midday eyewall replacement cycle, Felix has become a category 3 hurricane.

The A,B,C Islands were spared any strong winds thanks to the compact nature of Felix's wind core, but heavy, locally flooding rain and some coastal flooding from 12-to-16-foot waves will continue over the remainder of today.

In the coming days, Felix will bring large waves to the southern coasts of Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic, a tropical wave is located about halfway between the Lesser Antilles and Africa. It is moving to the westard around 10 to 15 miles per hour. Any development will be very slow to occur.

The weak low pressure that has dumped flooding rain from Charleston to Savannah along the Southeast Coast will creep east-northeastward over the Atlantic over the next few days, allowing the worst of the rain to end. Although conditions are not favorable for development in the short term, this low could begin to take on tropical characteristics in a few days.

In the Eastern Pacific, we continue to monitor Tropical Storm Henriette.

Henriette is expected to become a hurricane later today while moving parallel to the Mexican West Coast, heading slowly toward southern Baja.

Tropical Depression Gil continues to weaken and the final advisory was issued at 11 a.m. EDT.

In the Western Pacific, Typhoon Fitow is about 780 miles southeast of Tokyo and is moving to just south of west near 10 miles per hour. Fitow is forecast to move towards Japan mid to late week.

Hurricane Felix now a category 3 (http://www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical/?from=wxcenter_news)

What a difference 6 hours make.......................

Hurricane Felix now a category 5

8:05 p.m. ET 9/2/07
Kevin Roth, Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

Hurricane Felix began a rapid intensification cycle Sunday afternoon and reached category 5 status by 8pm Sunday evening (eastern time). Top winds increased to 165 mph with gusts possibly as high as 200 mph. A NOAA airplane investigating Hurricane Felix encountered extreme turbulence and graupel (soft hail) forcing the mission to be cut short.

(http://image.weather.com/images/maps/pt_BR/tropical/strm6_strike_277x187.jpg)

Hurricane Felix passed north of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao Sunday afternoon. The A,B,C Islands were spared any strong winds thanks to the compact nature of Felix's wind core, but heavy, locally flooding rain and some coastal flooding from 12-to-16-foot waves pounded the islands. Conditions should be greatly improved Monday.

In the coming days, Felix will bring large waves to the southern coasts of Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic, a tropical wave is located about halfway between the Lesser Antilles and Africa. It is moving to the westard around 10 to 15 miles per hour. Any development will be very slow to occur.

The weak low pressure that has dumped flooding rain from Charleston to Savannah along the Southeast Coast will creep east-northeastward over the Atlantic over the next few days, allowing the worst of the rain to end. Although conditions are not favorable for development in the short term, this low could begin to take on tropical characteristics in a few days.

In the Eastern Pacific, we continue to monitor Tropical Storm Henriette.

Henriette is expected to become a hurricane tonight while moving parallel to the Mexican West Coast, heading slowly toward southern Baja. Henriette could threaten Baja California as early as Tuesday afternoon as a Category 1 hurricane.

In the Western Pacific, Typhoon Fitow is about 780 miles southeast of Tokyo and is moving to just south of west near 10 miles per hour. Fitow is forecast to move towards Japan mid to late week.

Hurricane Felix now a category 5 (http://www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical/?from=wxcenter_news)