Hurricane Erick Approaches Mexico as Category 4 Storm

MXMexico|

Hurricane Erick is poised to make landfall in southern Mexico as a powerful Category 4 storm, with life-threatening conditions expected. The storm intensified rapidly from a tropical storm with winds of 40 mph on Tuesday morning to its current strength by midnight Thursday. This marks a historic event, as Erick could be the first Category 4 hurricane in the Eastern Pacific to strike Mexico before October, according to meteorologists tracking the storm.

Hurricane warnings are currently in effect for parts of Guerrero and Oaxaca states, including Acapulco, as residents prepare for heavy rainfall and high winds. Forecasts indicate that Erick could bring storm surges and significant wind damage to areas just east of where it makes landfall. Additionally, rainfall totals of 8 to 12 inches, with some locations potentially receiving up to 16 inches, pose serious threats of flash flooding and mudslides in the mountainous regions.

Erick marks the second hurricane of the Eastern Pacific season, arriving almost four weeks earlier than historical averages, which suggests the season's fifth storm typically forms by July 23, according to data from the 1991-2020 averages.

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