At 2 a.m. PDT, Norbert had Category 3 winds of 125 mph with higher gusts, down from 12 hours earlier, when it had Category 4 135 mph winds, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

The storm was moving northwest at 7 mph and several turns and fluctuations in intensity were expected within 24 hours to put it on target for the peninsula, forecasters said.

"Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles," the NHC said..

A five-day forecast map based on a large number of variables shows Norbert at or near the Baja early Saturday morning. With a northeasterly motion, its path appears to be headed to soak southwestern Nevada and much of Arizona by Sunday.