Roxanne was initially affected by winds from the north, which dislocated the circulation from the convection. As the nearby upper-level low moved into Central America, Roxanne was able to intensify, developing outflow all around the storm. Initially, the storm threatened western Cuba and the Cayman Islands, steered by a weak trough over Florida, which moved eastward and was replaced by a ridge in the area. This turned Roxanne westward toward the Yucatán Peninsula. At the same time it was turning, Roxanne developed a well-defined eye in the center of its convection. At 06:00 UTC on October 10, the storm intensified to hurricane status. Roxanne intensified further, based on reports from the Hurricane Hunters. Early on October 11, the NHC estimated peak winds of 115 mph (185 km/h); this made Roxanne the first hurricane since Hurricane Hattie in 1961 to develop in the western Caribbean and intensify to a major hurricane. Shortly after Roxanne reached peak intensity, the hurricane made landfall just north of Tulum, a small town near Cozumel, Mexico.