Tropical Storm Flossie strengthens, hurricane warning issued for Mexico’s Pacific coast

MEXICO CITY (AP) – Tropical Storm Flossie strengthened off Mexico’s southwestern Pacific coast on Monday as the remnants of what was Tropical Storm Barry dumped rain on eastern Mexico.

Flossie strengthened with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph). It was centered about 160 miles (255 kilometers) south-southwest of Zihuatanejo and was moving northwest at 10 mph.

Mexico’s government issued a tropical storm warning along the southwestern coast from Punta San Telmo to Playa Perula.

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 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 35 mph, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.