A strong hurricane is threatening the Mexican Pacific coast: Tropical Storm “John” has been upgraded to a hurricane with potentially destructive winds just a few kilometers off the coast in the south of the Latin American country, according to the US Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. The center of “John” is located around 135 kilometers south of Punta Maldonado and 160 kilometers west of Puerto Escondido, a popular vacation spot.
According to the NHC, the hurricane is moving toward the coasts of the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca with sustained wind speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour. The region around the seaside resort of Huatulco is also affected.
According to weather forecasts, dangerous storm surges and sudden, life-threatening flooding are expected in the region. “John,” currently a hurricane with the lowest magnitude of one out of five, will continue to strengthen before reaching landfall on Tuesday, the NHC said.
Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean water. According to experts, increasing global warming increases the likelihood of strong storms. “John” is the third hurricane of this year’s season, which begins in the Pacific on May 15 and ends on November 30, and the first to head toward the coast.
At the same time, another possible hurricane is developing in the Atlantic south of the Cayman Islands. This could reach the US south coast as a hurricane via the Gulf of Mexico in the coming days, the NHC announced.
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