Agatha has sustained winds of 45 mph and is located 220 miles south-southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico.
The storm is expected to gradually intensify, becoming a hurricane on Sunday before it makes landfall on the south coast of Mexico on Monday. Mexico has issued a hurricane alert for the southern coast from Salina Cruz to Punta Maldonado.
“Storm surge could cause coastal flooding nearby and east of where the center passes the coast in areas of land winds,” the National Hurricane Center said. “The rise may be accompanied by big, destructive waves.”
In addition to the storm surge, Agatha’s heavy rains will affect parts of southern Mexico from Sunday to Tuesday night.
“The heaviest rainfall is expected in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, where 10 to 16 inches are expected, but an isolated total of up to 20 inches is possible,” the hurricane center said.