Agatha became the first hurricane of the 2022 season on Sunday, gaining strength as it turns to Mexico. The Agatha is expected to continue to gain strength over the next day and “is expected to be close to the strength of the hurricane when it reaches the southern coast of Mexico on Monday,” the National Hurricane Center said.
At 5 p.m. ET, Agatha was about 185 miles southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico. It had sustained maximum winds of 110 mph and was moving northeast at 1 mph. It was expected to gain speed and continue to move northeast throughout Sunday, the NHC said.
As the current path of the storm would lead him down the narrow waist of the isthmus of Mexico, the center said there was a possibility that the remnants of the storm could resurface over the Gulf of Mexico.
Hurricane warnings were in effect from the port of Salina Cruz to the Chacahua Lagoons, the NHC said.
Tropical Storm Agatha is seen off the Pacific coast of Mexico on May 28, 2022, in this NOAA satellite image. NOAA
Agatha is expected to pour between 10 and 16 inches of rain in Oaxaca, while Chipias could see between 5 and 10 inches, the NHC said. The center also warned of possible sudden floods and landslides threatening life across the region.
The Oaxaca Civil Defense Office said the outer bands of the hurricane were already hitting the shore. The office posted photos of fishermen dragging their boats to the beaches to protect them from the storm.
The government’s Mexican Turtle Center, a former slaughterhouse that has been turned into a conservation center in Mazunte, announced it was closed to visitors until further notice due to the hurricane.