Tropical Storm Erick is expected to rapidly intensify before it arrives in Mexico later this week, with some meteorologists anticipating the storm to reach major hurricane strength before landfall. Animated weather footage from windy.

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

A hurricane warning has been issued for part of Mexico's Pacific coast as Tropical Storm Erick intensified. Erick was expected to reach hurricane strength as it neared land Wednesday. The cyclone was centered about 180 miles (290 kilometers) south-southeast of Puerto Ángel,