Tropical Storm Off Mexico Nears Hurricane Strength

Tropical Storm Flossie continued to gain steam off Mexico's southwestern Pacific coast on Monday afternoon and was projected to turn into a hurricane overnight. Flossie strengthened with maximum sustained winds of 65mph. It was centered about 170 miles southwest of Zihuatanejo and was moving northwest at 12mph, the AP reports. Mexico's government issued a tropical storm warning along the southwestern coast from Punta San Telmo to Playa Perula. And a tropical storm watch remained in effect for the southwest coast from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes.

A watch means tropical storm conditions are possible in the area within two days. Flossie is expected to rapidly intensify into a hurricane late Monday or early Tuesday, then skirt the coast for a few days. While its center is forecast to remain offshore, moderate rain was likely in parts of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco through early next week. Meanwhile, the remnants of Barry were bringing heavy rain to Mexico's Gulf coast after it came ashore as a tropical depression south of Tampico with maximum sustained winds of 30mph, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said.