Pacific Tropical Storm Odile forms

MIAMI, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Pacific Tropical Storm Odile formed Thursday east of Central America with a northward track toward Mexico, U.S. forecasters in Miami reported.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said at 2 a.m. PDT, the center of Odile was located about 315 miles southeast of Puerto Angel, Mexico, moving west-northwest around 12 mph.

Sustained winds were 40 mph with higher gusts, and forecasters said strengthening was expected.

While no official watches or warnings were posted by the various governments, the NHC said Odile could produce rainfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches over portions of El Salvador, southern Guatemala and along the far southeastern Pacific coast of Mexico with isolated amounts of 15 inches over mountainous terrain.

The center also urged those along Mexico's southeastern coast to monitor the progress of this year's 15th named Pacific storm.