 Continuing to gain strength , Rick attained winds of 145 mph ( 233 km / h ; 126 kn ) several hours later on October 17 . A possible outer eyewall , a second eye larger than the first that often forms at the beginning of an eyewall replacement cycle , was noted at this time . The eye of the storm became very well @-@ defined and nearly cloud free , measuring roughly 11 @.@ 5 mi ( 18 @.@ 5 km ; 10 @.@ 0 nmi ) in diameter . In addition to the rapid intensification , Rick was also growing in size . By the afternoon hours , tropical storm @-@ force winds extended up to 155 mi ( 249 km ; 135 nmi ) from the center of the storm , with a maximum gale diameter of 300 mi ( 483 km ; 261 nmi ) . At 3 : 10 pm PDT ( 2210 UTC ) , the NHC issued its second special advisory for Rick , this time stating that the storm had become a Category 5 hurricane , the first in the basin since Hurricane Kenna in 2002 . Around 8 : 00 pm PDT ( 0300 UTC on October 18 ) , Rick attained its peak intensity as the third @-@ strongest Pacific hurricane on record . Maximum sustained winds in the eyewall reached 180 mph ( 290 km / h ; 156 kn ) and the barometric pressure is estimated to have bottomed out at 906 mbar ( 906 @.@ 00 hPa ; 26 @.@ 75 inHg ) . The pressure was not directly measured as reconnaissance missions by Hurricane Hunter aircraft were not done because the storm was too far from land . Lixion Avila , a senior hurricane specialist at the NHC , described Rick 's satellite presentation at this time as " spectacular . " 
