MEXICO CITY — Hurricane Flossie has intensified further off Mexico’s southwestern Pacific coastline, bringing sustained winds reaching up to 140 kilometers per hour (85 miles per hour), as reported by the U.S. National Hurricane Center based in Miami.
Recent updates indicate that Flossie graduated to a Category 1 hurricane status on Monday night. According to the hurricane center, the storm was positioned approximately 260 kilometers (160 miles) south of Manzanillo and was progressing in a west-northwest direction along the Mexican coastline at a speed of 17 kilometers per hour (10 miles per hour). Forecasters suggest that while the hurricane is expected to remain off the coast, it will likely influence weather patterns for a few days, delivering rainfall across multiple Mexican states.
In anticipation of adverse weather conditions, the Mexican government has issued a tropical storm warning applicable to the southwestern shoreline extending from Punta San Telmo to Playa Perula. Meanwhile, a tropical storm watch persists for other areas on the southwest coast from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes, suggesting that tropical storm conditions could develop in these areas within the next 48 hours.
Despite Flossie’s eye remaining offshore, forecasts predict that certain regions of the Mexican states, including Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco, might experience rains up to 150 millimeters (6 inches) by Wednesday. This precipitation poses potential risks of severe flooding and mudslides, particularly in areas with steep terrain.
Projections show that Flossie will continue to strengthen over the upcoming 36 hours before potentially diminishing as it encounters cooler waters further along its path.