The National Hurricane Center has issued a warning that tropical storm Erick strengthened in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, roughly 180 miles south-southeast of Mexico's Puerto Angel. It is now expected to intensify into a hurricane by late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Erick, now a tropical storm, is forecast to become a hurricane before making landfall southeast of Acapulco on Thursday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain.

A hurricane warning was issued Tuesday for a portion of southern Mexico as Tropical Storm Erick gained strength in the Pacific Ocean, forecasters said.