Andres weakens to tropical storm, Blanca gains strength
Andres weakened to a tropical storm in the eastern Pacific while Hurricane Blanca rapidly strengthened into a major hurricane.
Andres’ maximum sustained winds early Wednesday decreased to near 60 mph with continued weakening expected. The storm is centered about 1,015 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.
Andres was expected to become a tropical depression by Thursday and be swept up and absorbed by Hurricane Blanca.
Waves generated by Andres when it was a hurricane should begin arriving in Hawaii on Wednesday and build into Friday, bringing advisory-level surf to east shores.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Blanca is gaining strength and is a major category 4 stor with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph.
Blanca is centered about 420 miles south-southwest of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, and was nearly stationary, but expected to move north-northwest on Thursday.
The storm could make landfall in Baja California on Sunday.
Swells from Blanca will begin affecting parts of Mexico’s southwestern coast during the next few days.