Hurricane Blanca Makes Its Way Toward Mexico's Baja Peninsula

Hurricane Blanca plowed north Saturday with its eye passing Socorro Island, about 285 miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. As of 8 p.m. it was a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, the National Weather Service said.

The agency has predicted Blanca’s path to continue northward, with the eye of the storm approaching the southwest coast of Baja California Sur late Sunday. However, by then it is expected to weaken into a tropical storm. Hurricane Blanca comes just days after Hurricane Andres formed and eventually subsided in the Pacific Ocean. This has been the earliest on record that two major hurricanes have formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean since 1971, Accuweather reported.

The director of Mexico’s National Water Commission, Roberto Ramirez, warned residents along Mexico’s Pacific coast to be prepared for intense rain as a result of the storm, the Associated Press reported. At least 2,000 army troops and 1,300 marines were put on alert. The storm is expected to produce 10 inches of rain over Baja California and cause isolated flooding.

A hurricane watch was in effect from Cabo San Lucas to Santa Fe. A tropical storm warning was in effect from Loreto to Puerto San Andresito.

Last year, Hurricane Odile slammed into Cabo San Lucas, causing massive property damage and stranded thousands of tourists and residents. However, Blanca is not expected to cause nearly as much damage because it is expected to weaken before making landfall.