Tropical Storm Hilary May Become Hurricane By Friday
Tropical Storm Hilary, forming in the Pacific south of Mexico, may become a major hurricane by Friday night, said forecasters at the US National Hurricane Center.
Now a Category One storm, top winds have reached 85 miles per hour, rising from the 75 mph winds reported early Thursday. The storm is about 115 miles southeast of Punto Maldonado.
The NHC announced tropical storm warnings for Mexico's southern Pacific coast. Tropical Storm Hilary is expected to hit Lagunas de Chacahua to Punta San Telmo. A tropical storm watch was issued for Punta San Telmo to the coastal resort of Manzanillo. Five inches of rain are expected to fall along the shoreline.
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The National Hurricane Center has put out a statement saying that "any deviation to the north of the track could bring stronger winds to the coast."
Some isolated areas of southern Mexico could receive 10 inches of rain from the storm, the hurricane center said. By Saturday, forecasters are predicting the winds to advance to 111 mph.
As Tropical Storm Hilary advances and grows strong, Tropical Storm Ophelia in the Atlantic Ocean is growing weaker.
The highest winds were set at 65 mph, just barely making hurricane status. The hurricane center believes it is because of strong upper-level winds that have slowly weakened.
Ophelia was headed toward Leeward Islands but was 975 miles away moving around 13 mph, forecaster said and is expected to continue at the slow rate. No warnings or watches have been put in effect for Tropical Storm Ophelia.
The Tropical Storm Public Advisory stated that swells generated by Tropical Storm Hilary are affecting portions of the coast of southwestern
