MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Priscilla was strengthening slowly in the eastern Pacific Ocean and could bring heavy rain and gusty winds to coastal southwestern Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said Sunday.
The Miami-based center said Priscilla, with winds near 70 mph (110 kph), could become a hurricane late Sunday or on Monday. Its tropical storm-force winds extended as far as 125 miles (205 kilometers) from its center.
The threshold for a hurricane is a storm with winds of at least 74 mph (120 kph).
Priscilla was located about 285 miles (460 kilometers) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes or about 480 miles (770 kilometers) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California and was moving north-northwest at 2 mph (4 kph). Priscilla was forecast to generally move parallel to the coast in the coming days.
A tropical storm watch was issued for part of the coast of southwestern Mexico, from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita, with tropical storm conditions possible in the area Sunday and Monday. Rainfall of up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) was possible, and there was a danger of life-threatening surf and rip current conditions on the coast.
Another storm well off Mexico in the Pacific, Octave, became a hurricane Sunday with no landfall in the forecast and no coastal watches or warnings. Its top winds were near 80 mph (130 kph), and the hurricane center said it was expected to gradually weaken on Monday. It was located about 1,025 miles (1,650 kilometers) west-southwest of Baja California’s southern tip and was moving northeast at 3 mph (6 kph).
