Hurricane Gil forms in the eastern Pacific but is not forecast to threaten land

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Gil strengthened into a hurricane in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday but was not expected to threaten land, forecasters said.

The Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm was about 1,080 miles (1,740 kilometers) west-southwest of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico.

Gil had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 20 mph (31 kph).

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. The storm was expected to keep traveling to the west-northwest in the coming days.

Gil was strengthening during a busy period for storms in the eastern Pacific.

Tropical Storm Iona was moving west-northwest in the ocean, about 1,360 miles (2,195 kilometers) west-southwest of Honolulu with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph). It was a hurricane earlier but weakened. It was not threatening land.

Iona was expected to cross the International Dateline by late Friday, forecasters said.

And other storms could develop in the coming days in the eastern Pacific, forecasters said.

The Associated Press