Hurricane Paul strengthens to Category 5, the storm moves parallel to the Mexican coast

China News Service, Beijing, September 23. According to the Associated Press, Hurricane Polo intensified into a Category 5 hurricane in the eastern Pacific off the southwest coast of Mexico on September 22, local time. Forecasts said the storm would bring heavy rainfall to southwestern Mexico but would not make landfall.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said its maximum sustained winds were 160 miles (257 kilometers) per hour.

"Paul" is moving eastward at 6 miles (10 kilometers per hour) and is expected to turn sharply to the northwest and west-northwest. On this track, the hurricane will track parallel to the Mexican coast for several days, but the center will not make direct landfall.

Mexico has issued a tropical storm watch for parts of the coast south of Manzanillo, Colima, to Tequepan de Galeana, Guerrero, meaning tropical storm weather is possible in the area within two days. The center of "Paul" is located about 360 miles (579 kilometers) south-southeast of Manzanillo.

Forecasts show that from the 22nd to the 24th, there will be heavy rainfall along the coasts of Guerrero and Michoacán, which may cause floods and landslides. Lighter rainfall is also possible along the coasts of Oaxaca, Colima, and Jalisco.

Category 5 is the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, corresponding to maximum sustained winds in excess of 157 miles per hour (253 kilometers per hour).

Further west in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Odalys is moving away from land but is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by midweek. On Tuesday, its maximum sustained winds were 65 miles per hour (105 kilometers per hour).

In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Fay has weakened to 40 mph (65 kilometers per hour) southwest of the Azores and is expected to degenerate into a remnant low by late Tuesday.

This year, no hurricane has formed in the Atlantic Ocean, and the duration of a hurricane-free start to the season has reached a record. Due to the influence of the El Niño phenomenon, most Atlantic storms are suppressed before they form. (over)