Monster Hurricane Barrels Toward Mexico

The strongest hurricane ever recorded by the U.S. National Hurricane Center is heading toward Mexico on Friday. Hurricane Patricia is projected to make landfall in southwestern Mexico Friday afternoon or evening and is expected to remain “an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane through landfall,” according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

The National Hurricane Center also said that the forecasted rainfall is “likely to cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides” in Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan, and Guerrero continuing into Saturday.

While the Center is warning residents and travelers on Mexico’s Pacific coast to ready themselves, it also said that as the storm starts rolling in Friday, people should stay inside and away from the coast.

“Preparations to protect life and property in the hurricane warning area should have been completed, or rushed to completion, as tropical storm conditions are beginning to affect the area,” the advisory said.

“Residents in low-lying areas near the coast in the hurricane warning area should evacuate immediately, since the storm surge could be catastrophic near and to the east of where the center makes landfall,” it continued.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, the last time a storm of this strength made landfall was in 2013 when Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines, causing storm surges that killed more than 6,000 people along coastal areas.

Hurricane Patricia at 200 mph, strongest ever recorded over eastern North Pacific. #patricia https://t.co/7e9BAZKjxK pic.twitter.com/yQ8MfIkv7I

— Natl Hurricane Ctr (@NWSNHC) October 23, 2015