Category 3 Hurricane Roslyn approaches Mexico

Saturday, Hurricane Roslyn intensified to a Category 3 hurricane as it approached the Pacific coast of Mexico, presumably north of the resort of Puerto Vallarta.

Early Saturday morning, the U.S. National Hurricane Center reported that Roslyn’s maximum sustained winds had hit 120 miles per hour and were anticipated to increase. The storm was located approximately 200 miles south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, a piece of land protruding into the Pacific south of Puerto Vallarta, and was heading northwest at 7 mph.

Saturday night or early Sunday morning, according to the forecast, Roslyn would approach Cabo Corrientes and the Puerto Vallarta region while moving to a northerly and then northeasterly course.

“On the predicted track, the center of Roslyn will move parallel to the southwestern coast of Mexico through midday today, then approach the coast of west-central Mexico, and make landfall along the coast of the Mexican state of Nayarit early Sunday morning,” the hurricane center said early Saturday.

“Although some weakening is possible beginning tonight, Roslyn is still projected to be near or at major hurricane status when it makes landfall on Sunday,” according to the forecast.

The National Water Commission stated that Roslyn’s precipitation could result in mudslides and flooding. In addition to 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of precipitation, the U.S. hurricane agency warned of a dangerous storm surge along the shore.

Enrique Alfaro, the governor of the Mexican state of Jalisco, said through Twitter on Saturday that all school activities in the region would be canceled, and he asked residents to avoid beach and mountain tourism over the weekend.