Tropical storm Andres strengthens off Mexico

A strengthening Tropical Storm Andres roared toward Mexico’s Pacific coast today, prompting emergency preparations for a storm that forecasters predicted would become the season’s first hurricane.

Forecasters said Andres was likely to brush the coast at hurricane strength around the port city of Manzanillo later today. The forecast track showed its centre later pushing up the coast near picturesque towns such as Barra de Navidad that are home to some American and Canadian expatriates.

At Barra de Navidad, north-west of Manzanillo, Agapito Garcia Martinez, security manager at the Grand Bay Hotel-Isla Navidad Resort said hotel staff were preparing to carry out storm preparations such as taking in beach furniture and protecting hotel windows, but had not yet been advised by authorities to so.

Weather was still sunny despite stronger-than-usual winds, Garcia Martinez said, noting that guests were still checking in normally to the hotel.

But as Andres draws closer, it might be a different story, he noted.

Mexico issued a hurricane warning for the Pacific coast from Cabo Corrientes to Punto San Telmo. A hurricane watch was in effect further south, from San Telmo to the port of Lazaro Cardenas.

Still further south on the coast, the Acapulco city government prepared 120 shelters and warned residents to stay indoors, especially some 15,000 people in 20 zones most at risk for flooding.

Heavy rains on Sunday night downed a few trees in the resort city.

On Sunday night Andres became the first named storm of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season, which began May 15 and ends November 30 and is typically busiest between July and September.

The US National Hurricane Centre said Andres was centred about 170 miles south-south-east of Manzanillo at 4am Irish Time today, and it had sustained winds near 65mph, with higher gusts.

It was moving toward the north-west at 8mph. But the storm’s winds are expected to build to as much as 75mph by late today or tomorrow. It has been 40 years since it took so long for a named storm to develop in the Eastern Pacific.

“Normally that season gets under way somewhat earlier,” said Richard Pasch, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Centre in Miami, Florida. “But it’s not necessarily an indication that it’ll be a quiet year in that basin. We’ve seen some years starting late and become quite active. We’re just going to have to wait and see on that.”

Federal forecasters have predicted a near-normal or below-normal season, with the possibility for 13 to 18 named storms, including six to 10 hurricanes.