Season’s first eastern Pacific hurricane forms off Mexico
Published:Saturday | June 26, 2021 | 3:51 PM
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The first hurricane of the eastern Pacific season formed on Saturday and forecasters said it was growing stronger, potentially bringing heavy rainfall while advancing northwestward off the Mexican coast.
The US National Hurricane Center said new Hurricane Enrique's maximum sustained winds had risen to near 85 miles per hour Saturday and were expected to keep rising to Category 2 force by Sunday.
The storm's core was predicted to stay at sea while moving parallel to the coast over the next several days.
Enrique was centred about 220 miles south of Cabo Corrientes — the bulge on the coast south of Puerto Vallarta — and it was headed to the west-northwest at seven miles per hour.
The hurricane centre said Enrique could bring six to 12 inches of rain, with isolated maximums of 18 inches to coastal parts of Colima, Michoacan and Jalisco states.
A tropical storm warning was in effect from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes.
Mexico's Defence Department said it was sending troops to aid civilians in advance of the storm.
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