Season’s First Eastern Pacific Hurricane Forms Off Mexico

MEXICO CITY (AP) – The first hurricane of the eastern Pacific season has formed and forecasters say it’s expected to grow stronger, bringing heavy rainfall while advancing northwestward off the Mexican coast. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said new Hurricane Enrique’s maximum sustained winds had risen to near 75 mph (120 kph) by early Saturday. They were expected to hit Category 2 force by Sunday. The storm’s core was predicted to stay at sea while moving parallel to the coast. But a tropical storm warning was declared from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes and forecasters warned of 6 to 12 inches of rain.