Hurricane Sandra seen strengthening strength off Mexico

Hurricane Sandra has strengthened to a Category 2 storm off Mexico’s Pacific coast, The Associated Press reports. Initially forecasters thought it wouldn’t reach hurricane strength until Wednesday.

The storm has rapidly grown since it formed Tuesday, but the National Hurricane Center in Miami said it was expected to weaken before nearing land.

Tropical Storm Sandra is strengthening rapidly in the eastern Pacific.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Sandra is expected to become a hurricane on Wednesday. “Interests in southern portions of the Baja California peninsula should monitor the progress of Sandra, the NHC said”.

Late Monday, the center said the depression was centered about 560 miles (900 kms) south of Manzanillo, Mexico.

At 2100 GMT, the storm was packing 115 mile (185 kilometer) an hour winds and moving northwest towards Mexico.

No major installations of Mexican state oil company Pemex [PEMX.UL] are in the storm’s path.