▁h urr icane , ▁the ▁first ▁since ▁H urr icane ▁Felix ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁Due ▁to ▁up well ing ▁of ▁cool er ▁waters , ▁Matthew ▁weak ened ▁to ▁a ▁Category   4 ▁h urr icane ▁later ▁on ▁October   1 . ▁Matthew ▁remained ▁a ▁powerful ▁Category ▁ 4 ▁h urr icane ▁for ▁several ▁days , ▁making ▁land fall ▁near ▁Les ▁Ang lais , ▁H ait i , ▁around ▁ 1 1 : 0 0 ▁UTC ▁on ▁October ▁ 4 ▁with ▁wind s ▁of ▁ 1 5 0   m ph ▁( 2 4 0   km / h ). ▁Cont inu ing ▁north ward , ▁the ▁cy clone ▁struck ▁Mais í ▁in ▁Cuba ▁early ▁on ▁October   5 . ▁Cuba ' s ▁and ▁H ait i ' s ▁mountain ous ▁terrain ▁weak ened ▁Matthew ▁to ▁Category ▁ 3 ▁status , ▁as ▁it ▁began ▁to ▁acceler ate ▁north west wards ▁through ▁the ▁Bah am as . ▁ ▁Rest r ength ening ▁occurred ▁as ▁Matthew ' s ▁circul ation ▁became ▁better ▁organized , ▁with ▁the ▁storm ▁becoming ▁a ▁Category   4 ▁h urr icane ▁again ▁while ▁passing ▁Free port . ▁However , ▁Matthew ▁began ▁to ▁weak en ▁again ▁as ▁an ▁e y ew all ▁replacement ▁cycle ▁took ▁place . ▁The ▁storm ▁significantly ▁weak ened ▁while ▁closely ▁par alle ling ▁the ▁coast s ▁of ▁Florida ▁and ▁Georgia , ▁with ▁the ▁north western ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁outer ▁e y ew all ▁coming ▁ash ore ▁in ▁Florida ▁while ▁the ▁system ▁was ▁a ▁Category  