Thursday, May 24, 2012

Hurricane Bud forms off Mexico's Pacific coast

Hurricane Bud formed off Mexico's Pacific coast early, and could threaten parts of southwestern Mexico with heavy rainfall and flooding tomorrow, the National Hurricane Center said.

The first hurricane off the Pacific coast this season, Bud is located about 315 miles (510 km) southwest of the major port of Manzanillo, and is moving north-northeast at around 7 mph (11 kph), the Miami-based center said on Thursday.

Bud, a Category 1 hurricane, is producing maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph) and stronger gusts, but should start to weaken by Friday, the center said.

A spokesman for the center said Bud may not make landfall but could still generate hurricane force winds off southwestern Mexico by late on Friday. The hurricane could soak the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco and southern Nayarit with around 4 to 6 inches (15 cm) of rain, the center added.

Mexico's government has begun a hurricane watch along the coast from Punta San Telmo to Cabo Corrientes, the NHC said.

Mexico has no major oil installations on the Pacific coast.