Hurricane Priscilla forms in the Pacific Ocean off the southwestern coast of Mexico

MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Priscilla has formed in the Pacific Ocean off the southwestern coast of Mexico, with heavy rain and gusty winds affecting coastal areas.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Sunday that Priscilla’s maximum sustained winds were 75 mph (120 kph) and that the storm was located about 290 miles (470 kilometers) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes. It was headed north-northwest at 3 mph (6 kph).

The center says heavy rainfall and gusty winds are affecting coastal southwestern Mexico with flash flooding possible. Swells generated by Priscilla are affecting parts of the coast in the region and will reach some coastal areas in west-center Mexico and southern Baja California by Monday. The swells are expected to create life-threatening surf and rip currents.

A tropical storm watch was issued for parts of the coast of southwestern Mexico. Priscilla was forecast to generally move parallel to the coast in the coming days.

Another storm, Octave, became a hurricane Sunday far from shore with no landfall expected. Its maximum sustained winds were 80 mph.

Its maximum sustained winds were 45 mph (75 kph), the center said, and it was located about 285 miles (460 kilometers) south-southwest of Manzanillo and headed toward the northwest at 7 mph (11 kph).

A tropical storm watch was issued for parts of the coast of southwestern Mexico.

Priscilla was forecast to reach hurricane status Sunday and generally move parallel to the coast in the coming days.Tropical Storm Priscilla is strengthening slowly in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center says Priscilla is a large tropical storm with winds extending 125 miles from its center and is likely to become a hurricane later Sunday or overnight. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph and was located about 285 miles south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes. A tropical storm watch was issued for part of the southwestern coast of Mexico. Another storm, Octave, became a hurricane Sunday far from shore with no landfall expected. Its maximum sustained winds were 80 mph.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Priscilla was strengthening slowly in the eastern Pacific Ocean and could bring heavy rain and gusty winds to coastal southwestern Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said Sunday.

The Miami-based center said Priscilla, with winds near 70 mph (110 kph), could become a hurricane late Sunday or on Monday. Its tropical storm-force winds extended as far as 125 miles (205 kilometers) from its center.

The threshold for a hurricane is a storm with winds of at least 74 mph (120 kph).

Priscilla was located about 285 miles (460 kilometers) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes or about 480 miles (770 kilometers) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California and was moving north-northwest at 2 mph (4 kph). Priscilla was forecast to generally move parallel to the coast in the coming days.

A tropical storm watch was issued for part of the coast of southwestern Mexico, from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita, with tropical storm conditions possible in the area Sunday and Monday. Rainfall of up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) was possible, and there was a danger of life-threatening surf and rip current conditions on the coast.

Another storm well off Mexico in the Pacific, Octave, became a hurricane Sunday with no landfall in the forecast and no coastal watches or warnings. Its top winds were near 80 mph (130 kph), and the hurricane center said it was expected to gradually weaken on Monday. It was located about 1,025 miles (1,650 kilometers) west-southwest of Baja California’s southern tip and was moving northeast at 3 mph (6 kph).

The Associated Press