Mexico City - Tropical Storm Adrian strengthened to a hurricane off Mexico's Pacific coast, becoming the first hurricane of the 2011 Pacific season, the United States National Hurricane Centre said.
Mexico's government issued a storm watch for the coastal resort of Acapulco and westward along the coast to Punta San Telmo.
Adrian was 425km southwest of the Mexican port of Acapulco and heading northwest with maximum sustained winds of 120km/h.
The centre of Adrian was expected to remain offshore but any move to the right “could bring tropical storm conditions to the coast within the watch area tomorrow and Friday”, the NHC said.
Mexico has no oil installations in the Pacific but its coast is dotted with beach resorts popular with US tourists.
Last summer, Hurricane Frank left at least three people dead in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. - Reuters