Tropical storm Beatriz gains strength in the Mexican Pacific

Tropical storm Beatriz was gaining strength off Mexico’s southern Pacific coast and is expected to reach hurricane status on Friday, bringing heavy downpours to several states in the country’s south.

The storm was about 70 miles (115 kilometers) southwest of Acapulco on Friday morning and heading west-northwest at 13 mph (20 km/h), with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h), The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported.

Forecasters said Beatriz could move near or over part of Mexico’s coast late Friday and Saturday.

Authorities issued a hurricane warning from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes. Beatriz is expected to slow its advance over the weekend and dump heavy rain as it brushes across several southern Mexican states.

On the other hand, also in the Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Adrián continues moving away from the mainland towards the high seas. As of Friday morning it was 445 miles (715 kilometers) south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, moving northwest at 7 mph (11 km/h). Its maximum winds strengthened to 155 km/h (100 mph) but it posed no threat on land.

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