Tropical Storm Sonia gains strength, takes aim at Mexico
| Mexico City
Tropical听Storm听Sonia听gained strength as it took aim at the Pacific coast of听听on Sunday, threatening intense rains over a large portion of听听that has already experienced major flooding over the past couple of months.
Sonia听was churning 205 miles south of the resort city of听听at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula and was expected to make landfall early on Monday, the Miami-based听听said in its latest advisory.
The weather system was traveling north at 9 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, the NHC said.
The center said a turn toward the north-northeast and an increase in speed is expected later on Sunday.
A听tropical听storm听warning is in effect for a stretch of the coast from the resort city of听听north to the town of Altata, both in Sinaloa state.
Sonia听is expected to produce rainfall of 3 to 10 inches in both Sinaloa and Durango states, the NHC said.
's national water commission said heavy rains could extend to seven other western and northern states.
In September,听听suffered its worst flooding since records began when storms Manuel and听听converged from the Pacific and the听, killing more than 150 people and causing damage estimated at around $6 billion.
Last month, Hurricane Raymond caused some flooding as it approached the Pacific resort cities of听听and, but no deaths or major damage was reported.
Sonia听is the eighteenth named听storm听system during the current eastern Pacific hurricane season, which began in May and is set to conclude at the end of this month.听
