Hurricane Dora Strengthens off Mexican Coast

Hurricane Dora grew stronger offshore on Wednesday as it hurled rain along Mexico’s coast. The fourth hurricane of the eastern Pacific season was forecast to move parallel to the shoreline for several days.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm was centered about 235 miles (380 kilometers) south-southwest of Acapulco and was moving west-northwest at 18 mph (30 kph) with top sustained winds near 90 mph (130 kph).

The Guerrero state capital of Chilpancingo reported some minor flooding and the coastal resort of Acapulco was experiencing intermittent rain.

Mexican authorities issued a tropical storm watch from Lazaro Cardenas to Cabo Corrientes, meaning tropical storm conditions were possible within 36 hours.

In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Bret was forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by Thursday as it moved northeast away from the Bahamas and well off the U.S. Atlantic coast.

Bret’s maximum sustained winds were 50 mph (85 kph). Its center was about 290 miles (465 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and 570 miles (920 kilometers) west of Bermuda.