PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico -- Hurricane Lidia became an 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 storm on Tuesday as it headed toward beach resorts on Mexico's Pacific coast, threatening to bring flooding and mudslides, forecasters said.
Tourists stroll along the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco State, Mexico, on October 10, 2023, hours before Hurricane Lidia is expected to reach Mexico's Pacific coast. Hurricane Lidia strengthened to a major Category 3 storm on Tuesday as it headed toward beach resorts on Mexico's Pacific coast, threatening to bring flooding and mudslides, forecasters said.
Lidia was packing maximum sustained winds of around 140 miles per hour and additional strengthening was possible before it makes landfall later Tuesday, the US National Hurricane Center said. "It's coming straight at us," said Luis Ramos, 29, who was racing to protect the bar where he works from potential damage.
"These rains will likely produce flash and urban flooding, along with possible mudslides in areas of higher terrain near the coast," the NHC warned.