Hurricane John is set to unleash dangerous winds, storm surges, and deadly flash floods on parts of southern Mexico in the upcoming days.

On Monday afternoon, the storm was located about 50 miles south of Punta Maldonado, having intensified from a tropical storm to a category 2 hurricane, according to an advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

The storm was reported to be moving north-northeast at a speed of 8 mph as of 7 p.m. ET. It is anticipated to reach the southern coast and then move inland on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Officials in Mexico have issued a Hurricane Watch and a Tropical Storm Warning for the coast from Punta Maldonado to Bahias de Huatulco. Among the vulnerable areas is the popular resort city of Acapulco, where Hurricane Otis caused at least 46 fatalities last October.

Current Location of Hurricane John

On Monday afternoon, Hurricane John was situated approximately 50 miles south of Punta Maldonado, moving north at 6 mph, as indicated by the center.

Hurricane John’s Intensity

As of Monday afternoon, Hurricane John was moving north with maximum sustained winds reaching 105 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The system is predicted to bring 6 to 12 inches of rainfall, with isolated accumulations reaching 15 inches in some coastal areas of Chiapas. Areas along and near the Oaxaca coast to southeast Guerrero could see between 10 to 20 inches of rain through Thursday, with localized amounts potentially nearing 30 inches.

Affected States in Mexico

The center warns that Hurricane John may cause “potentially catastrophic, life-threatening flash floods and mudslides” in coastal regions of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and southeast Guerrero.

In advance of John’s impact, school closures have been announced in Oaxaca and Guerrero, according to reports from Reuters.

Contributed by: Gabe Hauari YSL News