Hurricane Agatha is rapidly intensifying in the eastern Pacific and moving towards Mexico

Hurricane Agatha quickly strengthens 1:29

(CNN) --

Hurricane Agatha was rapidly intensifying in the eastern Pacific Ocean and approaching major hurricane status as it moved toward the southern coast of Mexico on Sunday night.

Agatha, the first hurricane of the eastern Pacific season, was packing maximum sustained winds of 112 miles per hour until 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, up from sustained winds of 60 miles per hour at the same time on Saturday night.

Wind gusts of up to 210 kilometers per hour were reported.

• This hurricane season threatens with more activity than average: 6 to 10 hurricanes are forecast

Agatha is now poised to become a Category 3 hurricane and is expected to continue to gain strength before making landfall Monday night near Salina Cruz, Mexico.

The hurricane is located about 200 kilometers southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico, according to the update on Sunday night.

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There is a hurricane warning from Salina Cruz to Lagunas de Chacahua.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Salina Cruz east to Boca de Pijijiapan and Lagunas de Chacahua west to Punta Maldonado.

Tropical storm conditions were expected in southern Mexico on Sunday night and hurricane conditions were expected in the warning area on Monday.

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"Storm surge could produce coastal flooding near and to the east of where (the hurricane's) center passes the coast in areas of onshore winds," the National Hurricane Center said.

"The storm surge can be accompanied by large and destructive waves."

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In addition to storm surge, heavy rain from Agatha will hit parts of southern Mexico from Sunday through Tuesday night.

"The heaviest rain is forecast throughout the Mexican state of Oaxaca, where 10 to 16 inches (25 to 40 centimeters) are expected, but isolated totals of up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) are possible," said the official. hurricane center.

After crossing land, the remnant low of a dissipated Agatha could resurface in the southern Gulf of Mexico by the middle of this week.

The National Hurricane Center has highlighted a 30% chance of development over the next five days across the region.

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