The Miami-based center upgraded the menacing storm to a powerful Category 4 storm on the 5-step Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale as it lashed out maximum sustained winds of about 130 miles per hour (209 km).

Willa is expected to come ashore on Tuesday afternoon or evening.

The hurricane "continues to rapidly strengthen," the NHC said in an advisory, adding that Willa will likely produce a life-threatening storm surge.

By Sunday afternoon, the storm was located about 225 miles (362 km) southwest of Cabo Corrientes, on the coast of Jalisco state.

The hurricane center estimates that total rainfall will range between 5 inches and 15 inches (12.5 cm to 38.1 cm) across stretches of Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa states, home to Mexican white sand beach resorts of Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Vicente, which formed in the Pacific off southern Mexico on Saturday, began to weaken as it hovered along the coast of southern Mexico on Sunday, located about 230 miles (370 km) southeast of Acapulco. </s> MEXICO CITY (AFP) - Hurricane Willa surged to a dangerous Category Four storm on Sunday (Oct 21) off Mexico's Pacific coast, United States forecasters said.

"Extremely dangerous... Hurricane Willa continues to rapidly strengthen (and is) forecast to produce life-threatening storm surge, wind and rainfall over portions of south-western and west-central Mexico, beginning on Tuesday," the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC) warned.

The monster storm was 365km south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico, packing top sustained winds of 220kmh.

It was churning forward north-northwest, at a slow 9kmh, the forecast said.

"Additional strengthening is expected during the next day or so, and Willa is forecast to be a dangerous hurricane when it reaches the coast of Mexico," the NHC said.

Mexico's government has put various parts of the coast on alert. </s> MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Hurricane Willa gained dangerous strength early on Monday as it churned toward Mexico’s Pacific coast, an area frequented by tourists, with torrential rain and major flooding in the offing, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

The Miami-based NHC upgraded Willa to a powerful Category 4 storm on the 5-step Saffir-Simpson scale as it unleashed maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 kmh) - just 2 mph shy of being designated a devastating Category 5 hurricane.

Willa was expected to hit Mexico’s west coast on Tuesday afternoon or evening.

The hurricane “continues to rapidly strengthen,” the NHC said in an advisory, adding that Willa would probably trigger a life-threatening surge in Pacific tides.

By early Monday, the storm was located about 175 miles (285 km) southwest of Cabo Corrientes on the coast of Jalisco state.

The NHC estimated that total rainfall would range from 5 to 15 inches (12.5 cm to 38.1 cm) across stretches of Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa states, home to the white sand beach resorts of Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Vicente, which formed in the Pacific off southern Mexico on Saturday, began to weaken while hovering along the southern Mexican coast on Sunday and by early Monday was located about 195 miles (310 km) southeast of Acapulco.

It had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph)

and the center of the storm would likely remain just offshore or near the southern coast of Mexico through Tuesday morning, according to the NHC.

Vicente is seen weakening to tropical depression status by Monday night, but could still cause significant rainfall. </s> Hurricane Willa strengthens into Category 3 storm as it heads for western Mexico

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Willa strengthens into Category 3 storm as it heads for western Mexico. </s> Forecasters say Hurricane Willa has grown rapidly into a "potentially catastrophic" Category 5 storm in the eastern Pacific, on a path toward Mexico’s western coast.

Landfall is predicted for late Tuesday or early Wednesday, likely as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said.

The center said that Willa is expected to “produce life-threatening storm surge, wind and rainfall over portions of southwestern and west-central Mexico beginning on Tuesday.” It will also spawn life-threatening surf and rip conditions.

"Willa is expected to make landfall about 40-60 miles south of Mazatlan, Mexico," said AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.

A hurricane warning was posted for Mexico’s western coast between San Blas and Mazatlan. Tropical storm warnings were raised from Playa Perula to San Blas and north of Mazatlan to Bahia Tempehuaya. The center said Willa is expected make landfall late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Willa had maximum sustained winds of 160 mph Monday morning and was centered about 135 miles southwest of Cabo Corrientes. It was moving north at 5 mph.

Hurricane-force winds extended out 30 miles from Willa's center and tropical-storm force winds were up to 105 miles out.

The hurricane center said 6 to 12 inches of rain should fall – and some places could see up to 18 inches – on parts of Mexico’s western Jalisco, western Nayarit and southern Sinaloa states, raising the danger of flash flooding and landslides in mountainous areas.

Willa may spread heavy rain and the risk for flooding across central Mexico and into the southern United States later in the week and into next weekend.

Farther to the south, Tropical Storm Vicente weakened but was still expected to produce heavy rainfall and flooding over parts of southern and southwestern Mexico.

Forecasters said it was expected to weaken into a tropical depression Monday night or early Tuesday while moving nearer to Mexico’s southern Pacific shore. </s> Hurricane Willa is nearing the Pacific coast of Mexico as a Category 4 storm, bringing the potential for life-threatening storm surge, wind and torrents of rain.

Willa weakened slightly Monday afternoon, but the National Hurricane Center warns it is still expected to be a dangerous major hurricane when it slams into Mexico’s central Pacific coast on Tuesday.

Willa’s maximum sustained winds ticked down from 160 mph to 150 mph, leaving the hurricane just shy of Category 5 strength. Its current intensity is about the same as Hurricane Michael’s when it made landfall in Florida’s Panhandle less than two weeks ago.

The National Hurricane Center has marveled over Willa’s “explosive” strengthening since it formed over the weekend. It became a tropical storm on Saturday morning and was a Category 5 hurricane in less than two days. As of Monday morning, Willa had swelled by 80 mph in just 24 hours.

Willa is located about 105 miles south-southwest of Islas Marias, an archipelago off central Mexico’s Pacific coast. The hurricane is moving north at 8 mph and is forecast to move “over or very near” Islas Marias early Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. Landfall on mainland Mexico is expected Tuesday afternoon or evening.

Storm surge accompanied by “large and destructive waves” are forecast along portions of Mexico’s central and southwestern coast. Dangerous surf and riptides are expected along the southern coast of Baja California late Monday.

Rainfall ranging from 6 to 12 inches could spawn life-threatening landslides and flash flooding in portions of the Mexican states of Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa.

The hurricane is on track to be one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the Pacific coast of Mexico and its landfall will come three years to the day after the strongest, Hurricane Patricia, made landfall one state to the south, in Jalisco.

Hurricane Patricia went from a Category 5 to Category 4 when it made landfall, but at its peak, Patricia had winds of 215 mph and was the strongest hurricane or typhoon ever observed anywhere on the planet.

Mother Nature may give Mexico a bit of a break with another storm currently right behind Hurricane Walla. Tropical Storm Vicente is also expected to impact the country Tuesday, but farther south than Walla, and the weakening system may dissipate by the time it gets there, the National Hurricane Center said.

The back-to-back systems have helped make the 2018 hurricane season in the northeast Pacific one for the record books.

The season is now the most active hurricane season on record using a measurement called “Accumulated Cyclone Energy,” which combines the number of storms and their intensity through their lifetimes to give an overall measurement of tropical activity in a given region.

2018 has seen 10 major hurricanes, including Willa, which ties 1992 as the most major hurricanes seen in the northeast Pacific in one year.

Increasing numbers of major hurricanes, along with a greater propensity of storms to undergo “rapid intensification” are expected consequences of warmer ocean waters resulting from climate change. The ocean waters off the western coast of Mexico are running 1-2 degrees Fahrenheit above average for late October. </s> Hurricane Willa is set to bring life-threatening storm surge, wind and heavy rainfall to areas of west-central and southwestern Mexico today. The dangerous weather system is forecast to reach mainland Tuesday afternoon or evening. Thousands of people have been evacuated, buildings boarded up and classes canceled on Mexico’s Pacific coast as Hurricane Willa threatens to batter popular tourist destinations including the resort town of Mazatlan. Forecast to be one of the most powerful hurricanes to enter Mexico from the Pacific in recent years, Willa is expected to strike a few miles south of Mazatlan.

Currently located about 80 miles southwest of Las Islas Marias, Mexico and 190 miles south-southwest of Mazatlan, Mexico, Hurricane Willa is moving forward at a speed of 9mph. According to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC), the dangerous hurricane’s maximum sustained winds have decreased from yesterdays 155 mph to 140 mph with higher gusts. The wind speed makes Hurricane Willa a Category 4 major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. The NHC marveled over Willa's "explosive" strengthening since it formed over the weekend.

Dangerous Willa strengthened at an incredible rate and intensified from a tropical depression to a Category 4 hurricane in less than 48 hours this weekend. A hurricane warning has been put in effect from San Blas to Mazatlan, including Las Islas Marias. And a tropical storm warning has been posted for a stretch of shore between Playa Perula to San Blas and from the North of Mazatlan to Bahia Tempehuaya. The NHC urges interests elsewhere along the coasts of west-central and southwestern mainland Mexico to closely monitor the progress of Willa.

Hurricane Willa is expected to produce dangerous storm surge along the coast of southwestern Mexico. The surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. Large swells generated by Willa will continue to affect portions of the coast of southwestern and west-central Mexico during the next few days. The swells should begin to affect portions of the coast of southern Baja California later today and are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. </s> Hurricane Willa is expected to produce life-threatening storm surge, wind and rainfall over portions of west-central and southwestern Mexico. Willa is currently located about 195 miles south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico and is presently moving northward at a speed of 5 mph. According to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC), the dangerous hurricane’s maximum sustained winds have increased to near 155 mph with higher gusts. The strength makes Willa an extremely powerful category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

Willa has strengthened at an incredible rate, intensifying from a tropical depression to a category 4 hurricane in less than 48 hours. And the hurricane is still strengthening, according to NHC’s latest forecast advisory. Hurricane Willa is expected to produce dangerous storm surge along the coast of southwestern Mexico by late Tuesday or early Wednesday. The surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

Large swells generated by Willa will continue to affect portions of the coast of southwestern and west-central Mexico during the next few days. In addition, Hurricane Willa is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of six to 12 inches, with local amounts up to 18 inches across portions of western Jalisco, western Nayarit, and southern Sinaloa in Mexico. According to the NHC, this rainfall will cause “life-threatening flash flooding and landslides.” A hurricane warning has been posted for a stretch of shore between San Blas and Mazatlan, including Las Islas Marias.

And a tropical storm warning is in effect for Playa Perula to San Blas and north of Mazatlan to Bahia Tempehuaya. Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane warning area by late Tuesday, with tropical storm conditions expected by Tuesday morning. Tropical storm conditions are expected within the tropical storm warning areas tonight and Tuesday. The NHC urges interests elsewhere along the coasts to monitor the progress of Willa. </s> Hurricane Willa is nearing the Pacific coast of Mexico as a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm, after experiencing what the National Hurricane Center called “explosive” strengthening over the past 48 hours.

Willa’s maximum sustained winds, as of Monday morning, were 160 mph, making it a top-of-the-scale hurricane. Its current intensity is slightly more than Hurricane Michael’s when it made landfall in Florida’s Panhandle less than two weeks ago.

The storm has supercharged at an incredible rate since it formed over the weekend. From Sunday morning to Monday morning, Hurricane Willa strengthened 80 mph in only 24 hours, and went from forming into a tropical storm on Saturday morning to a Category 5 in less than 48 hours.

The official forecast from the National Hurricane Center calls for Willa to weaken some before landfall, but the storm is still expected to be a major hurricane, likely still a high-end Category 4, when it makes landfall on Tuesday afternoon.

Willa is currently located about 175 miles southwest of Puerto Vallarta, moving north at 7 mph. A turn to right is forecast over the next 24 hours, which should bring the hurricane on land near the border of the states of Sinaloa and Nayarit, south of the city of Mazatlan.

The hurricane is on track to be one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the Pacific coast of Mexico and its landfall will come three years to the day after the strongest, Hurricane Patricia, made landfall one state to the south, in Jalisco.

Hurricane Patricia went from a Category 5 to Category 4 when it made landfall, but at its peak, Patricia had winds of 215 mph and was the strongest hurricane or typhoon ever observed anywhere on the planet.

In addition to Willa, Mexico is bracing for another tropical system right behind it, Tropical Storm Vicente. While Vicente is considerably weaker than Willa, it is expected to make landfall late on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning about 250 miles south of Willa and will give the western coastline of Mexico a rapid 1-2 punch from Mother Nature.

The back-to-back systems have helped make the 2018 hurricane season in the northeast Pacific one for the record books.

The season is now the most active hurricane season on record using a measurement called “Accumulated Cyclone Energy,” which combines the number of storms and their intensity through their lifetimes to give an overall measurement of tropical activity in a given region.

2018 has seen 10 major hurricanes, including Willa, which ties 1992 as the most major hurricanes ever seen in the NE Pacific in one year.

Increasing numbers of major hurricanes, along with a greater propensity of storms to undergo “rapid intensification” are expected consequences of warmer ocean waters resulting from climate change. The ocean waters off the western coast of Mexico are currently running 1-2 degrees Fahrenheit above average for late October.
Hurricane Willa strengthens to a category 4 hurricane off the Pacific Coast of Mexico.