MIAMI — Tropical Storm Erick formed early Tuesday near southern Mexico and is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The storm was about 450 miles southeast of Punta Maldonado, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour, the center said.

Heavy rainfall, life threatening floods, mudslides and “dangerous” storm surge are expected to accompany the storm. The weather agency has stated the storm “could produce rainfall totals of 8 to 16 inches, with maximum totals of 20 inches, across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero."