Hurricane Trudy strengthens into major storm as Mexico's Pacific coast braces
Trudy has strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane off Mexico and is expected to near the coast on Saturday, bringing up to 12 inches of rain and the risk of flash floods and landslides.
Symbolic image · Photo: NOAA / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (cropped and resized)
Hurricane Trudy rapidly strengthened into a major Category 3 storm off Mexico's Pacific coast on Friday. As of Friday morning, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said its center was about 250 miles (400 km) southwest of Acapulco, with maximum sustained winds near 120 mph (195 kph) and higher gusts.
The NHC expects further strengthening, with Trudy approaching the coast on Saturday and passing near it Saturday night into Sunday as a major hurricane. An AccuWeather meteorologist told Reuters the storm could even reach Category 4 or 5. A hurricane watch covers the coast from Punta San Telmo to Cabo Corrientes, and a tropical storm warning is in effect from Zihuatanejo to Manzanillo.
Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco states could see 4 to 8 inches of rain, with isolated totals near 12 inches. The NHC warned of life-threatening flooding and mudslides. Mexico's civil protection agency urged residents to secure doors and windows. The region was recently hit by storms that killed several people.