MEXICO CITY – Tropical Storm Orlean is expected to intensify into a Category 1 hurricane and make landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast in the coming days, the US National Hurricane Center said Saturday.
The NHC said, “On the projected trajectory, Orlein’s center should pass near or over Las Islas Marias on Sunday night or Monday morning and reach the coast of mainland Mexico late Monday or Monday night. ” he said.
With a maximum sustained wind speed of 120kmh, Orlene is classified as the lowest category 1 hurricane on the 5-point Suffer-Simpson scale.
As of 1500 GMT (11 p.m. Singapore time), the NHC said it was located 330 km south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco state in western Mexico and 440 km south of Marias Island off the northwestern state of Nayarit.
The storm is slowly rolling northward, but is expected to pick up speed and head northeast from the second half of Saturday, according to the Hurricane Center.
Hurricanes tend to hit both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of Mexico during the season, which lasts from May to November.
In October 1997, Hurricane Paula hit the Pacific coast as a Category 4 storm. Killed over 200 people. AFPMore
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/storm-orlene-strengthens-to-hurricane-force-off-mexicos-pacific-coast Storm Orlean intensifies hurricane force off Mexico’s Pacific coast