Hurricane Orlene expected to hit Western Mexico

Mexico City, The Gulf Observer: Hurricane Orlene, a Category 3 storm, approached western Mexico on Sunday night and threatened the region with significant wind, storm surge and rainfall, forecasters said.

The storm was about 10 miles southwest of Las Islas Marías, an archipelago of four islands, and was moving north, the National Hurricane Center said at 11 pm Eastern time on Sunday. Orlene had maximum sustained winds of about 105 miles per hour, with higher gusts.

Forecasters say Orlene will be a “strong hurricane” that will most likely pass over the archipelago on Sunday night and arrive at mainland Mexico’s coast on Monday.

Orlene was expected to remain a hurricane upon reaching southwestern Mexico but would weaken rapidly after moving onshore, the Hurricane Center said. The system is expected to dissipate on Tuesday.

A hurricane warning was posted for Las Islas Marías and the coast of mainland Mexico, from San Blas to Mazatlán, meaning hurricane conditions were expected in those areas, the centre said.

“Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion,” the centre said.

Orlene is expected to bring flash flooding and possible landslides across southwest Mexico through Tuesday, the centre said. Las Islas Marías could get up to 14 inches of rain.