Oct 16 (Reuters) - Hurricane Trudy rapidly intensified into a major hurricane on Friday morning, carrying maximum sustained winds near 120 mph (195 kph) and higher gusts, as it moves closer to Mexico's Pacific coast.
Additional strengthening is still forecast before Trudy is expected to approach the Mexican coast on Saturday as a life-threatening major hurricane, the US-based National Hurricane Center said.
"Trudy has the potential to even reach Category 4 or 5 intensity," said Alex DaSilva, a hurricane
meteorologist at private forecaster AccuWeather.
Mexico's civil protection agency asked residents to start preparations for the storm's arrival by securing doors and windows, and removing objects that could be thrown around by the strong winds.
The hurricane will strike Mexico's Pacific coast, a region that has already been battered in recent weeks by storms that left several dead and caused severe flooding.
Located about 250 miles (400 km) south-southwest of resort city Acapulco, the storm is expected to produce up to 12 inches (30 cm) of rain in the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco, increasing the risk of life-threatening flooding and landslides, according to the NHC.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Simon continues to weaken farther northwest offshore, after dropping heavy rain along the coast earlier as a hurricane.
(Reporting by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; Editing by Toby Chopra)
