Hurricane Norma forms off Mexico’s Pacific coast, could hit Mexican resorts at Los Cabos

MEXICO CITY — Hurricane Norma gained strength Wednesday off Mexico’s Pacific coast and took aim at Los Cabos, the resorts at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.

Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Tammy was moving toward the islands of Barbados, Dominica, and Martinique and Guadeloupe.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Norma, which became a hurricane Wednesday, strengthened to carry top sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph).

Norma is forecast to reach Los Cabos, made up of the twin resorts of San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, by Saturday with hurricane force winds.

The center said Norma could strengthen Thursday to as much as 115 mph (180 kph), and then weaken somewhat before approaching land.

On Wednesday evening, the center of the hurricane was located about 465 miles (750 kilometers) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, and was moving north at 8 mph (13 kph).

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Tammy formed Wednesday in the central tropical Atlantic and quickly moved westward, putting a group of islands on alert for its expected approach.

The National Hurricane Center said Tammy developed Wednesday afternoon and by the evening had winds of 40 mph (65 kph). Its center was located about 530 miles (855 kilometers) east of the Windward Islands.

Tammy was moving to the west at 17 mph (28 kph) and expected to remain a storm while brushing the islands of Barbados, Dominica, and Martinique and Guadeloupe, where storm tropical storm watches were in effect.

Tammy is expected to initially spread heavy rains over the northern Windward and Leeward Islands through Friday and then across the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the weekend, forecasters said.

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