Hurricane Rina on Wednesday, Oct. 26 2011.
Written by
The Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) - Forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center now say Hurricane Rina was a major hurricane as it swirled over the western Caribbean in October.
The hurricane center sometimes upgrades or downgrades tropical storms as forecasters review data at the end of the six-month hurricane season. Forecasters said Thursday that Rina reached Category 3 strength Oct. 25 and peaked the next day with top winds about 115 mph.
Hurricanes at Category 3 and above are considered major. Forecasters had previously said Rina peaked as a strong Category 2 storm.
Rina weakened to a tropical storm as it approached Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Oct. 27.
The hurricane season that ended Nov. 30 produced 19 tropical storms, including seven hurricanes. Four of those hurricanes were major storms, including Rina.
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