Norma intensifies into a hurricane in the Mexican Pacific and causes rain in the west of the country

Mexico City, Oct 18 (EFE).- Tropical Storm Norma intensified this Wednesday into a category 1 hurricane in the Mexican Pacific, where it causes "intense" rains in the western states of the country, reported the National Meteorological Service (SMN). .

The phenomenon, which emerged on Tuesday as a tropical storm, is located 535 kilometers southwest of Playa Perula, Jalisco and 545 kilometers southwest of Manzanillo, Colima, according to the most recent warning from the SMN.

In addition, it is moving north at 13 kilometers per hour with sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour and gusts of 155 kilometers per hour.

Although it is moving away from Mexican territory, "its extensive cloud bands will cause intense occasional rains in Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán and Guerrero," the Meteorological Service warned.

Its advance will cause very heavy rains in Nayarit and will reinforce the probability of scattered rains and showers in Baja California Sur, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the center of the country.

The institution also predicted wind with gusts of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour, possible formation of waterspouts and waves of 2 to 4 meters high on the coasts of Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán and Guerrero.

For this reason, the SMN asked "to take extreme precautions for the general population in the areas of the mentioned states due to rain, wind and waves, including maritime navigation, and to comply with the recommendations issued by the Civil Protection authorities."

Hurricane Norma arrives after the double blow of cyclones Lidia and Max last week, when they left five dead in total, one in Nayarit, two in Jalisco and two in Guerrero.

Norma is the fourteenth named cyclone of this season in the Pacific, where Adrian, Beatriz, Calvin, Dora, Eugene, Fernanda, Greg, Hilary, Irwin, Jova, Kenneth, Lidia and Max formed before.

Of them, the most damaging has been Hilary, which in August left four dead in the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur and Sinaloa, all in northern Mexico.

The Government of Mexico predicted in May the formation of up to 38 named cyclones in the 2023 season, of which five could hit the country.

Of that number, between 16 and 22 systems could occur in the Pacific Ocean, and between 10 and 16 in the Atlantic. EFE

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