Hurricane Kristy has been upgraded to Category 3 as its strength increases in the Pacific Ocean.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued the advisory on Wednesday, pinpointing the storm about 600 miles southwest of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula.
Travelers in Mexico are urged to “use caution and expect weather-related disruptions,” including heavy rain, high winds and flooding.
Kristy is moving at 20 miles per hour with sustained winds of 125 miles per hour.
Although models show the storm moving north toward the California coast, forecasts say the storm will likely turn west and move deeper into the Pacific Ocean.
AccuWeather meteorologist Jesse Ferrell has suggested the hurricane could reach a Category 4 tonight.
Being in Category 3 puts Kristy on par with Hurricane Milton, which hit Florida on October 9.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued the advisory Wednesday, pinpointing the storm about 500 miles (800 kilometers) southwest of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.
Kristy became a tropical storm off Mexico’s southern Pacific coast on Monday before strengthening into a hurricane on Tuesday.
This beast of a storm rages in the Pacific Ocean, intensifying and gaining speed as it rages across the open ocean.
Waves produced by the storm will hit parts of the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula late this week, causing potentially fatal surf and current conditions, according to the NHC.
Forecasters predict steady to rapid strengthening on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by moderate weakening starting Friday.
Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist at the center, said, “This one is moving due west at high forward speed, well out to sea, so there are no land concerns.”
Because Kristy is expected to continue moving across open waters, officials have not issued any coast guards or warnings.