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Hurricane Trudy has intensified to a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds, prompting warnings along Mexico's Pacific coast. Forecasters expect further intensification as the storm moves northwest.
Hurricane Trudy strengthened to a major, Category 3 hurricane early Friday as it approached the southwestern and west-central areas of Mexico’s Pacific coast. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami reported that the storm was located about 250 miles (400 kilometers) southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, and about 355 miles (570 kilometers) south-southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Trudy had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) and was moving northwest at 6 mph (9 kph). A hurricane warning was in effect for Mexico’s coast from Cabo Corrientes northward to Punta San Telmo. Additionally, a tropical storm warning was issued from Zihuatanejo up the coast to Manzanillo.
FOX Weather reported that Trudy formed in the Eastern Pacific early Thursday and is forecast to rapidly intensify into a powerful Category 4 hurricane. The outlet noted that Trudy could become the ninth Category 4 or stronger hurricane in the Eastern and Central Pacific this season. "Some forecast models even show a possible landfall, but confidence in the exact track remains low," the FOX Forecast Center said.
The New York Post, citing the National Hurricane Center, stated that Trudy was expected to bring rainfall of 4 to 8 inches through the weekend across Colima and Jalisco states.
The activity in the Eastern Pacific has contributed to a record-breaking season. FOX Weather reported that the 2026 Eastern Pacific hurricane season has officially surpassed 2018 as the most energetic season on record, with over 319 Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) units. ACE measures the combined strength and duration of tropical storms and hurricanes during a season. A strong El Niño climate pattern has helped propel this activity.
To the northwest of Trudy, Tropical Storm Simon had winds of 75 kph (45 mph) and was forecast to weaken to a remnant low soon. The Mexican government reported that rain associated with Simon caused several rockslides in the state of Guerrero and other neighboring states late last week.
In the Western Pacific, Tropical Storm Champi was located east of Guam on Friday, moving west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph) with maximum sustained winds increasing to 52 mph (86 kph), according to the U.S. Weather Service and the U.S. Navy’s Meteorology and Oceanography Command website. A typhoon warning was issued for Guam and Rota, along with a tropical storm warning for Tinian, Saipan and nearby areas.
The intensification of Hurricane Trudy highlights the extreme activity of the 2026 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, which has become the most energetic on record due to El Niño conditions. The storm poses significant risks to Mexico's Pacific coast, including potential landfall, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding, while other systems like Champi threaten U.S. territories in the Western Pacific.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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