MEXICO CITY — Hurricane Kristy has escalated to a Category 5 storm as of Thursday, with meteorologists predicting the system will steer clear of any land while gradually diminishing over the next few days.

The powerful hurricane was situated approximately 970 miles (1,565 kilometers) southwest of the Baja California Peninsula’s southernmost point and was traveling westward at a speed of 16 mph (26 kph). The National Hurricane Center, based in Miami, reported that Kristy boasted maximum sustained winds reaching 160 mph (260 kph).

Forecasters noted that the waves produced by Kristy are likely to impact segments of the west coast of the peninsula through the weekend, posing significant risks of dangerous surf and strong rip currents.

Originating as a tropical storm on Monday near Mexico’s southern Pacific coastline, Kristy rapidly intensified into a hurricane by Tuesday while traversing open waters. Currently, there are no coastal watches or warnings in place related to this storm.