Hurricane Orlene is rapidly gaining strength as it moves toward Mexico's Pacific Northwest coast, where it will likely brush past former penal colonies that the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador is developing as an eco-tourism destination.
After becoming a hurricane on Saturday, Orlene strengthened to a category 3 on Sunday with sustained winds of 125 miles per hour (205 kilometers, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The National Meteorological Service of Mexico (SMN). ) reported for its part that the storm reached category 4 with winds of 134 miles per hour (215 kilometers).
The NHC located Orlene's eye 95 miles (155 kilometers) southwest of Cabo Corrientes (just south of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco) and 135 miles (215 kilometers) south of Islas Marías (Nayarit), and noted that It was moving north at 8 miles per hour (13 kilometers).
Satellite image from October 2 of Orlene off Mexico. NOAA
There is a hurricane warning for the María Islands, and on the Mexican coast from San Blas to Mazatlán.
The National Hurricane Center expects the cyclone to gain strength on Sunday before weakening as it approaches land.
Forecasts indicate that Orlene will pass near or over the former Mexican penal colony of Islas Marías on Sunday night or Monday morning and enter the coast in the afternoon.
It can bring rain of up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) in some places, as well as flooding and a dangerous storm surge.
The National Water Commission said Orlene could cause "landslides, rising levels of rivers and streams, and flooding in low-lying areas."
Puerto Vallarta closed its port to ship traffic on Saturday as a precautionary measure.
The images of the devastation caused by Ian in Pine Island
Oct. 2, 202200:26
This year, cyclones Agatha, Blas, Celia, Bonnie, Darby, Estelle, Frank, Georgette, Howard, Ivette, Javier, Kay, Lester, Madeline and Newton have formed in the Pacific.
Agatha and Kay reached a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
The Mexican authorities forecast in May the formation of up to 40 named cyclones by 2022, in an "active season", and anticipated that at least 5 would impact the country.
With information from The Associated Press and Efe news agencies.