Tropical Storm Erick develops in Pacific, could become a hurricane: NHC

A tropical storm, named Erick, has formed in the Pacific and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane, the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said Tuesday (June 17).

As of Tuesday morning, the storm was brewing about 450 miles southeast of Punta Maldonado, Mexico, according to the NHC, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph

Forecasters say Erick is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Wednesday (June 18) and may approach the coast of southern Mexico by Wednesday night.

The system could produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches, with maximum totals near 15 inches, across the Mexican states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero and coastal sections of Guatemala.

The NHC also stated that interior areas of Southeast Mexico, El Salvador, and interior Guatemala, as well as the Mexican states of Chiapas, Tabasco, and Veracruz, could receive between two and six inches of rainfall.

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