Hurricane Lidia made landfall as a Category 4 storm Tuesday evening near the resort town of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific coast and became a powerful hurricane as it moved inland.
“Lydia moves inland over west-central Mexico as a hurricane,” The National Hurricane Center said Tuesday night. “Life-threatening hurricane-force winds are expected along the storm’s path overnight.”
The hurricane had sustained winds of 140 mph when it appeared to make landfall near Las Benitas in the western state of Jalisco. Lydia then moved inland and was about 30 miles east of Puerto Vallarta late Tuesday with sustained winds of 105 mph.
A hurricane warning is in effect for part of the coast of Mexico. A major hurricane has sustained winds of at least 111 mph.
The Hurricane Center has advised the public to prepare to protect life and property Tuesday afternoon. The center warned that heavy rain from Lydia could cause flash and urban flooding, and landslides in high-lying areas.
Damaging winds, storm surge and pounding surf are in the forecast
Damaging winds, storm surge and pounding surf will affect the coast of Mexico, with Lydia’s center tracking inland. Weather.com said. Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro X said there were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.
Local authorities canceled classes in communities around the coast. The expected effect will come after a day Tropical storm max It hit the South Pacific coast hundreds of miles away and then dissipated.
Forecasters predicted Lidia could become a Category 1 hurricane by late Tuesday as the hurricane moves east-northeast at about 17 mph and reaches Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city, by midnight.
Jalisco opened 23 shelters, according to Alfaro, and the Puerto Vallarta city government said a few dozen people were sheltering there.
Lidia is expected to drop 4 to 8 inches of rain with localized totals of 12 inches possible in parts of Nayarit state, southern parts of Sinaloa state and coastal areas of Jalisco, the hurricane center said.
Contributed by: Associated Press
