Tropical Storm Erick Nears Mexico Pacific Coast Expected Hurricane

Tropical Storm Erick formed off Mexico's southern Pacific coast and is expected to intensify into a Category 2 hurricane by Thursday as it approaches landfall between Bahia De Huatulco and Punta Maldonado. The U.S. National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for the affected Mexican coastal areas, with sustained winds forecasted to exceed 74 mph. Erick is anticipated to bring heavy rainfall, potentially causing flooding and mudslides in southern Mexican states such as Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Chiapas, as well as parts of El Salvador and Guatemala. Authorities in Mexico are coordinating preventive measures to protect residents and tourists, with travel disruptions likely due to the storm. While Erick will not impact the Gulf or Caribbean, some forecast models suggest that its moisture could extend as far north as extreme South Texas later in the week. The storm is also notable as it may be the first named storm in the Eastern Pacific or Atlantic basins to make landfall this hurricane season.