Tropical Storm Beatriz is strengthening off Mexico's southern Pacific coast and may grow into a hurricane by late Friday that will dump heavy rain on several southern Mexican states.
Beatriz was about 95 miles (155 kilometers) southwest of Acapulco early Friday and moving to the west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kmh) with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kmh), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
A hurricane warning was in effect from Zihuatanejo to Playa Perula. The storm is expected to slow its forward movement and dump heavy rain as it scrapes along several southern Mexican states over the weekend.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 60 miles (95 kilometers) from the center. As much as 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain could fall on southern Mexico, potentially causing flash floods, and dangerous storm surge and rip currents are possible, the forecasters said.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Adrian continued to spin away from land into the open Pacific. Late Thursday it was about 440 miles (705 kilometers) south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California and moving northwest at 8 mph (13 kmh). Its maximum sustained winds strengthened to 90 mph (150 kmh), but the storm posed no threat to land.
