Erick evolved into a major category 3 hurricane on Wednesday afternoon, and its intensification will continue as it continues its path towards the coasts of Oaxaca with the borders of Guerrero, reported Fabián Vázquez Romaña, general coordinator of the National Meteorological Service (SMN).

Based on information from the U.S. National Hurricane Center, Romaña detailed on social media that Erick is packing winds of 205 kilometers per hour (125 mph) and its central minimum pressure continues to drop. Hours earlier, the coordinator reported that the system would hit national territory with this intensity on Thursday morning, after becoming a Category 1 hurricane.

As of 6 p.m., the National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported that the center of Erick was located 90 kilometers south-southwest of Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca, and 260 kilometers southeast of Punta Maldonado, Guerrero, with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour, gusts of 220 kilometers per hour, and moving northwest at 15 kilometers per hour.

He explained that the cloud bands and the resulting moisture carryover will bring torrential to extraordinary rainfall, wind gusts of 100 to 210 kilometers per hour, and waves of 4 to 8 meters in height in Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Chiapas.

In coordination with the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the Center announced that it maintains a hurricane-force wind warning zone from Acapulco, Guerrero, to Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca, and a hurricane-force wind warning zone from west of Acapulco to Tecpan de Galeana, Guerrero.

Additionally, a tropical storm surge warning zone is in effect from Puerto Ángel east to Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, and a tropical storm surge warning zone is in effect from Acapulco west to Técpan de Galeana, Guerrero.

Because the system is experiencing favorable ocean-atmospheric conditions for rapid intensification, he noted that the forecast indicates a possible impact during the early hours of Thursday between Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, and Punta Maldonado, Guerrero, so it is not ruled out that it could reach Category 4 status before making landfall.

He warned that the rainfall could cause landslides, rising river and stream levels, as well as flooding in low-lying areas of the aforementioned states. He urged the public to heed warnings and follow Civil Protection recommendations.