MEXICO CITY — The first hurricane of the season turned into a whopper on Monday, roaring off of Mexico's southern Pacific coast with some of the strongest winds ever recorded in a May hurricane in the region.
Hurricane Adolph was about 165 miles south-southwest of the resort of Acapulco and was heading northwest Monday. It had sustained winds of almost 125 mph, and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said it could strengthen.
A hurricane watch was in effect for Mexico's southern coast, and the port of Acapulco was closed to small vessels. The center said the storm center was likely to remain offshore but warned that outer bands could cause heavy flooding in coastal areas.
The hurricane was the first of the eastern Pacific hurricane season, which officially begins May 15 and ends Nov. 30.
No hurricanes have been reported yet in the Atlantic. Its season begins June 1.
Storms are classified as tropical depressions when their winds are below 39 mph, tropical storms when the winds range from 39 to 73 mph, and hurricanes when the winds exceed 73 mph.