Heavy rains, flooding and huge swells are expected to hit Mexico in the coming days, authorities warned as Hurricane Raymond strengthened to a category three early on Monday.
Hurricane warnings were still in effect along the coast from Tecpan de Galeana to Lazaro Cardenas, and Acapulco to Tecpan de Galeana, as of 2 a.m. Pacific Time Monday, with a tropical storm warning in force from Acapulco to Tecpan de Galeana.
Mexican officials are hopeful that a cold front moving from the north will help steer the hurricane out to sea and away from the coast. But even if it remains offshore, the storm could cause torrential rain and serious flooding along the coast later Monday or Tuesday, forecasters said.
The storm’s maximum sustained winds increased early on Monday to nearly 120 mph, with higher gusts, as it swirled about 125 miles south-southwest of Zihuatanejo. Mexico’s coastal areas are still recovering from two tropical storms that left at least 157 people dead and 1.7 million homeless last month.
[AP]