Two Tropical Storms Churn off Mexico's Coast, Dangerous Ocean Conditions Projected
Two tropical storms are moving along the coast of Mexico, and as of Monday, both were expected to strengthen into hurricanes.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned that Tropical Storm John could become a hurricane as early as Monday. John formed quickly off the coast of southwestern Mexico over the weekend around the same time as Tropical Storm Ileana, which is just east of John. Infrared data from NASA's Aqua satellite provided forecasters with temperature data that showed the cloud-top temperatures in both storms had cooled. That means the weather systems were strengthening.
John is projected to come close enough to the coast to produce dangerous ocean conditions. Swells from the storm are expected to start impacting the coast of southwestern Mexico as early as Monday, and are likely to cause dangerous surf and rip currents. Residents near coastal areas in Manzanillo were warned that Ileana, following John up the coastline, could brush parts of southwestern Mexico as a hurricane early on Tuesday, with a chance of heavy rains and flash flooding.
The East Pacific is quite active. From west to east: #Hurricane #Hector, unnamed disturbance, #TropicalStorm #John, and Tropical Storm #Ileana. pic.twitter.com/clMJZlXtU7
— NASA SPoRT (@NASA_SPoRT) August 6, 2018
Authorities posted a hurricane watch from Punta San Telmo in Michoacan state to Playa Perula in Jalisco state, the Associated Press reported.
Ileana was projected to weaken later Tuesday due to coming in close contact with John, the larger storm.
Early on Monday, Ileana was traveling about 305 miles southeast of Manzanillo. It had sustained winds of 65 miles per hour and was headed northwest at approximately 17 miles per hour.
John was moving northwest while it sustained winds of 60 miles per hour about 335 miles southwest of the Mexican port of Manzanillo. The storm was forecast to turn into a Category 3 hurricane before starting to weaken, while staying to the west of the Baja California Peninsula throughout the week.
Farther out to sea, a strengthening Hurricane Hector traveled toward Hawaii as a Category 4 storm, according to the Center Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu.
The storm churned about 1,010 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and was moving west at 15 miles per hour.
Hector posed no apparent threat to land, but forecasters said residents of Hawaii should continue to watch the storm's progress, as it was projected to pass just south of the islands by the middle of the week.
