Andres's winds increased from 85 kph yesterday, and probably will reach the 119 kph hurricane threshold today, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory on its Web site. The storm was 175 kilometers south-southeast of Manzanillo in Colima state and moving northwest at 15 kph just before 5 a.m. Pacific time.
A hurricane warning, meaning such conditions are expected within the next day, was in effect for the southwestern coast of Mexico from Punto San Telmo to Cabo Corrientes. A tropical storm warning and hurricane watch were in place from Lazaro Cardenas to Punto San Telmo.
“Andres should pass very close to or over the southwestern coast of Mexico within the warning area today,” the center said. “Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.”
Andres is forecast to scrape the coasts of Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco states later today before heading out to sea as a tropical storm, south of Baja California.
The four coastal states threatened by Andres may experience flooding in low-lying areas and landslides as a result of rains brought by the storm, Mexico’s National Weather Service said in an advisory on its Web site. The U.S. center said as much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) may fall over parts of Mexico.