Erick is expected to become a major hurricane as it moves towards southern Mexico, with heavy rainfall and damaging winds being a major concern for the area
Hurricane Erick, the fifth tempest of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season, is gathering momentum as it heads towards Mexico.
On Wednesday morning, the National Hurricane Centre announced that Erick is predicted to intensify swiftly today and evolve into a significant hurricane as it nears southern Mexico by Thursday.
ET Wednesday, Erick was upgraded to a Category 2 storm with nearly 100 mph sustained winds and higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend 15 miles, while tropical storm-force winds reach 105 miles from its centre.
The storm is anticipated to strike the southern coast of Mexico Wednesday night and then move inland on Thursday.
Consequently, there’s a hurricane warning in effect from Acapulco to Puerto Ángel, and a hurricane watch for areas west of Acapulco to Tecpan de Galeana, reports the Mirror US.
A tropical storm warning is also in place from east of Puerto Ángel to Salina Cruz and for the area west of Acapulco to Tecpan de Galeana.
READ MORE: UK weather maps turn fiery red as Britain to bask in 31C scorcher in just daysREAD MORE: Miracle of seat 11A as singer survived fatal plane crash in exact same position
The National Hurricane Centre reported that Tropical Storm Erick is accelerating in speed and is expected to develop into a major hurricane before making landfall.
A major hurricane is classified as Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale, which means it will have winds between 111 mph and 129 mph-enough to cause some serious damage, according to NOAA.
Hurricane Erick is forecast to unleash heavy rain on Mexico, with between eight and 16 inches expected in some regions, and up to 20 inches in the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero.
The National Hurricane Centre has warned that this could trigger severe flooding and mudslides, particularly in areas with rugged terrain.
Meanwhile, the states of Chiapas, Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco, and Mexico City are bracing themselves for two to four inches of rain.
A storm surge is also predicted to hit the coast, causing sea levels to rise and leading to coastal flooding and destructive waves.
One area expected to bear the brunt of the storm is Acapulco, which is still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Otis in October 2023.
Hurricane Otis made landfall as a Category 5 storm, bringing with it winds of up to 115 mph, and causing widespread damage and loss of life after its winds intensified at a record-breaking rate.
“We are left with nothing,” one woman told CBS.
“Everything is damaged.”