Hurricane Norma seen strengthening as it churns toward Baja California

Hurricane Norma is expected to further strengthen on Wednesday as it bears down on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, home to popular tourist beach resorts, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). Ocean swells prompted by Norma are affecting portions of the coast of southwestern Mexico, and will spread during the next few days, causing life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, the NHC added.

Hurricane Norma is expected to further strengthen on Wednesday as it bears down on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, home to popular tourist beach resorts, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). The Miami-based center upgraded Norma to a Category 1 hurricane earlier on Wednesday.

"Rapid strengthening is forecast through tonight, and Norma could become a major hurricane on Thursday," the NHC reported, adding that gradual weakening of the hurricane is forecast as it approaches Baja California on Friday and Saturday. Norma's maximum sustained winds have reached 80 miles per hour (129 kph) as it heads north.

The hurricane is located about 520 miles (837 km) south of the beach resort city of Cabo San Lucas. Ocean swells prompted by Norma are affecting portions of the coast of southwestern Mexico, and will spread during the next few days, causing life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, the NHC added.

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