Hurricane Trudy strengthens to Category 3 storm off Mexico’s Pacific coast

Trudy is a Category 3 storm (NOAA via AP)

Hurricane Trudy has strengthened to a major hurricane off Mexico’s Pacific coast.

The Category 3 hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 120mph and was moving north-west at 6mph, the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami said.

It was about 260 miles south-west of Acapulco and about 365 miles south-south-east of Manzanillo.

Trudy was forecast to get stronger over the next couple of days. The eye was forecast to approach the coast of south-western and west-central Mexico on Saturday.

To the north-west of Trudy, Tropical Storm Simon recorded 45mph winds and was forecast to weaken to a remnant low soon.

Also in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Champi was east of Guam on Friday, moving west-north-west at 12mph with maximum sustained winds increasing to 52mph, according to the US Weather Service and the US Navy’s Meteorology and Oceanography Command website.

A typhoon warning has been issued for Guam and Rota along with a tropical storm warning for Tinian, Saipan and nearby areas.