Hurricane Sandra strengthens to a Category 4 storm

Five is the strongest category on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Declared a hurricane on Tuesday Nov. 24, Sandra has strengthened to a powerful Category 4 storm in the eastern Pacific off Mexico’s coast.

The agency may issue tropical storm or hurricane watches for portions of the area later on Thursday, it said.

Sandra was located early Wednesday some 880 km southwest of Manzanillo, Colima, and 1,160 km south of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. A turn toward the north is expected on Thursday, with a turn toward the north-northeast expected Thursday night or Friday.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami has advised residents of Mexico’s west coast to monitor Sandra’s progress, but said it was forecast to start losing strength by Thursday night.

At 2100 GMT, the storm was packing 185 kph winds and moving northwest towards Mexico.