Trudy is now a major hurricane and is forecast to approach the southwestern and west-central coast of Mexico this weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of 4 a.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 16, the center of Trudy is located about 250 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds near 120 mph with higher gusts. Forecasters said Trudy's center will approach the Mexican coast on Saturday and pass near the coast Saturday night into Sunday.
Trudy, currently a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, is expected to continue strengthening into Saturday and remain a major hurricane when it makes its closest approach to Mexico, the hurricane center said. Some weakening is then expected later this weekend and into early
next week.
Hurricane Trudy path tracker
This forecast track shows the most likely path of the storm's center. It does not illustrate the storm's full width or its impacts, and the center can travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time.
Hurricane Trudy spaghetti models
Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest-performing models to help make its forecasts.
Hurricane Trudy weather forecast
The hurricane center said Trudy is expected to produce 4 to 8 inches of rain, with isolated higher totals around 12 inches, along and near the southwestern coast of Mexico in Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco. This rainfall could produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, forecasters said.
Elsewhere, the outer bands of Trudy could produce 2 to 4 inches of rain, with isolated higher totals around 6 inches, in Guerrero.
A hurricane watch is in effect for the coast of Mexico north of Punta San Telmo to Cabo Corrientes, and a tropical storm warning is in effect from Manzanillo southward to Zihuatanejo.
Coastal flooding from storm surge is also possible in areas of onshore winds. Forecasters said the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves near the coast.
Swells generated by Trudy are affecting portions of the coast of southwestern Mexico and will spread northward toward west-central Mexico during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, according to the hurricane center.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Track major Category 3 Hurricane Trudy as it approaches
