Mexico on alert for approaching hurricane Carlos
A hurricane warning has been issued as Carlos is expected to strengthen and increase its speed over coming days as it heads toward south-western Mexico.
The US National Hurricane Centre said the hurricane’s eye was slowly drifting north and was about 120 miles south of the tourist resort of Acapulco, and that Carlos’s winds had increased to 85mph.
The centre of the storm is expected to approach the coast of south-western Mexico later today, forecasters said.
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Mexico’s government has issued a hurricane warning from Lazaro Cardenas to Tecpan de Galeana along the south-west mainland coast, meaning hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours.
A hurricane watch is in effect for Punta San Telmo to the west of Lazaro Cardenas and a tropical storm warning is in effect for east of Tecpan de Galeana to Punta Maldonado.
Carlos is expected to produce 2in to 4in of rain across the south-western coast through to Tuesday.
The rain could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, forecasters said.
Carlos is the third hurricane of the 2015 eastern Pacific season, and forecasters said hurricane-force winds extend outward from the eye about 25 miles. The centre also cautioned that ocean swells kicked up by Carlos will reach the coast in the warning and watch areas over the next few days and could produce life-threatening surf and rip currents.
