On Tuesday, Hurricane Priscilla approached Category 3 strength in the Pacific, coinciding with the intensification of a new tropical storm in the Atlantic, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Positioned just offshore from Mexico’s coast, Priscilla was registering maximum sustained winds of around 105 mph and was tracking northwest at a speed of 9 mph.
By Tuesday evening, its center was located roughly 185 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, as reported by forecasters.
On the same day, the hurricane’s outer bands were beginning to spread into Baja California Sur.
Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Jerry maintained winds of 50 mph early Wednesday.
It was approximately 950 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands, moving west-northwestward at 23 mph.
Forecasters anticipate that Jerry will likely morph into a hurricane within the next day or two.
Swells generated by Jerry are expected to arrive at the Leeward Islands on Thursday, with the storm’s core potentially passing near or north of the northern Leeward Islands late Thursday into Friday.
A tropical storm alert has been issued for Barbuda and Anguilla, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, and Sint Maarten.
In the Pacific, a tropical storm warning was activated for Baja California Sur from Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lazaro due to Hurricane Priscilla.
The Baja California Sur government suspended classes in all educational institutions beginning Tuesday in Los Cabos and La Paz as a precaution.
Additionally, it established several shelters in Los Cabos for residents in vulnerable areas.
Forecasts indicated that southwestern Mexico might receive up to 4 inches of rain from Priscilla through Wednesday, raising the risk of flash flooding in Michoacán and Colima states.
According to the hurricane center, Priscilla is anticipated to begin weakening on Wednesday.
A significant hurricane is classified as being Category 3 or above, with wind speeds reaching a minimum of 111 mph.
Swells from Priscilla were already impacting the Mexican coast, and forecasters warned of potentially deadly surf and rip currents.
Further afield in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Octave was diminishing in strength, located about 750 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
Its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 45 mph, and it was moving east-southeast at 7 mph.
