Tropical Storm Off Mexico on Brink of Becoming Hurricane

Source: Bloomberg News

Tropical Storm Carlotta, bearing 70 mile-per-hour (110 kilometer-per-hour) winds, is on the brink of becoming a hurricane as it nears Mexico’s southern Pacific coast, the National Hurricane Center said.

Carlotta is 355 miles southeast of the popular resort of Acapulco and moving northwest at 10 mph, the center said in an advisory at 5 a.m. Pacific time. As much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain and dangerous surf may accompany the storm, the NHC said.

A hurricane warning is in effect for coastal communities from Salina Cruz to Punta Maldonado as the center of Carlotta will move near or over the coast late today or tomorrow, the Miami-based NHC said. A hurricane watch extends east of Salina Cruz to Barra de Tonala and west of Punta Maldonado to Acapulco.

“Satellite imagery shows that Carlotta is becoming better organized and it is forecast to become a hurricane during the next several hours,” the NHC said. A storm gets a name when top winds reach 39 mph. It becomes a hurricane with 74 mph winds.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-15/tropical-storm-carlotta-heading-to-southern-coast-of-mexico-3-.html

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