Mexico City: Hurricane Willa surged to a dangerous Category Four storm Sunday off Mexico's Pacific coast, US forecasters said.
Map forecasts Hurricane Willa's route over Mexico #AFPgraphics pic.twitter.com/tT4xsoY5IK
— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 22, 2018
"Extremely dangerous... Hurricane Willa continues to rapidly strengthen [and is] forecast to produce life-threatening storm surge, wind and rainfall over portions of southwestern and west-central Mexico beginning on Tuesday," the Miami-based National Hurricane Center warned.
Hurricane #Willa continues to rapidly strengthen, and it is now a category 4 hurricane. Hurricane and Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for west-central and southwestern Mexico. Here are the 9 pm MDT Key Messages. Go to https://t.co/Oy8uoeRKme for details. pic.twitter.com/nPpo2RKYAw
— NHC E. Pacific Ops (@NHC_Pacific) October 22, 2018
The monster storm was 365 kilometres south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico, packing top sustained winds of 220 kilometres per hour.
#HurricaneWilla is expected to make landfall in #Mexico on Tuesday, possibly as a major hurricane. Details HERE: https://t.co/f2HSkXGU2q pic.twitter.com/WNcAho0k3r
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) October 22, 2018
It was churning forward north-northwest, at a slow nine kilometers per hour, the forecast said.
"Additional strengthening is expected during the next day or so, and Willa is forecast to be a dangerous hurricane when it reaches the coast of Mexico," the NHC said.
Mexico's government has put various parts of the coast on alert.