Hurricane Enrique aims for brush with Mexico’s Pacific coast
Published:Sunday | June 27, 2021 | 5:12 PM
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The first hurricane of the eastern Pacific season was off Mexico's coast on Sunday afternoon, and forecasters warned that heavy rain could cause dangerous flash floods or mudslides over southwestern parts of the country.
Hurricane Enrique gained strength in the first hours after it formed Saturday.
The US National Hurricane Center said Sunday that the storm's maximum sustained winds were near 90 miles per hour with higher gusts, and that "slight strengthening" was possible through Sunday night.
"Enrique is then expected to begin weakening on Monday and continue to weaken through early this week,″ the centre said.
The storm's core was predicted to stay at sea.
On Sunday, it was about 110 miles south of Cabo Corrientes — the bulge on the coast south of Puerto Vallarta.
Enrique was forecast to keep moving parallel to the coast over the next several days.
The Hurricane Center said Enrique could drop six to 12 inches of rain, with isolated maximums of 18 inches, over Colima state and coastal sections of the states of Jalisco, Michoacan, and northern Guerrero.
A tropical storm warning was in effect from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita.
A hurricane watch was posted for the coast from Cabo Corrientes to Manzanillo.
Mexico's Defence Department said it was sending troops to aid civilians in advance of the storm.
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