Hurricane Bud grows off Mexico's coast

MANAZNILLO, Mexico, May 24 (UPI) -- Hurricane Bud strengthened off the southwest coast of Mexico Thursday and was expected to approach land by late Friday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

At 5 p.m. PDT, the Category 2 hurricane, with top sustained winds of 110 mph, was about 325 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and 420 miles south of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. The storm was tracking northeast at 9 mph, hurricane center meteorologists in Miami said.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the coast of Mexico from Manzanillo northwest to Cabo Corrientes, while a tropical storm warning stretched from Punta San Telmo west to east of Manzanillo. A hurricane watch was in effect from Punta San Telmo west to east of Manzanillo and a tropical storm watch was in effect from Cabo Corrientes to San Blas.

The storm was expected to turn toward the north-northeast and lose some forward speed Thursday night, and then turn toward the north late Friday. On its current track, Bud is expected to move inland along the Mexican coast late Friday, forecasters said.

Bud is expected to become a major hurricane before it begins to weaken Friday afternoon.

The storm is expected to produce 4 to 6 inches of rain, with as much as 10 inches possible in isolated areas, hurricane conditions are expected to reach the hurricane warning area by Friday afternoon.