Emilia becomes powerful Category 4 hurricane off Mexico

Hurricane Emilia strengthened into a major Category 4 storm overnight, but the system off Mexico's Pacific coast was no threat to land, forecasters said Tuesday.

Emilia's maximum gusts are 140 mph, but a "gradual weakening is expected to begin by tonight and continue through Thursday," the National Hurricane Center said in its morning advisory.


The storm was 680 miles southwest of Baja California and was moving west-northwest. No coastal watches are in effect.

The Pacific hurricane season has gotten off to a fast start. Emilia is the fifth named tropical storm, and four of the storms became hurricanes. Hurricane Carlotta made landfall on Mexico's coast on June 15 and took the lives of two children.

Hurricane Daniel, even farther off Mexico's Pacific coast than Emilia, weakened to a tropical storm overnight, with winds near 70 mph. It too was moving west and was expected to break up later in the week.

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I hope it makes a sharp right turn and trucks it's bad self right on across the entire central US dumping a few inches of rain the whole way.

    Reply#1 - Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:29 PM EDT

    I hope it causes such a massive ocean swell that it causes an earthquake that separates Mexico from North America and sinks the northern half of that garbage can of a country.

    The fish ought to be biting well for awhile with all that cocaine and crystal meth in the water; to be safe, catch and release only though.

    • 3 votes
    Reply#2 - Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:44 PM EDT

    We're not all like Woodshed.

      #2.2 - Mon Jul 16, 2012 5:05 PM EDT
      Reply
      Comment author avatarMyteam Furniturevia Facebook

      wow even a story about a hurricane can bring racist comments out! never fails, Im surprised no one has tried to blame Obama yet for the storm. hey woodshed, I'm sure you still love to eat tacos and other mexican food though right?

        Reply#3 - Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:48 AM EDT

        My cat farted.

        • 1 vote
        Reply#4 - Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:12 AM EDT
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