Priscilla strengthens near Mexico as Octave stays offshore

Two tropical storms were active in the Pacific off Mexico over the weekend, with Tropical Storm Priscilla strengthening near the southwestern coast and Tropical Storm Octave remaining far offshore with no immediate threat to land, forecasters said. The National Hurricane Center said Priscilla was large and expected to move generally parallel to the coast, while Octave was centered well to the southwest of the Baja California peninsula and posed no coastal hazard.

Priscilla was centered several hundred miles southwest of Mexico and had sustained winds near 65 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. Tropical-storm-force winds extended as far as 140 miles, or roughly 220 kilometers, from its center. The system was moving northwest at about 5 to 7 mph and prompted a tropical storm watch for part of the southwestern Mexican coast from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita. Forecasters warned of up to 6 inches of rain in affected coastal areas and highlighted the danger of life-threatening surf and rip currents.

The NHC forecast that Priscilla could reach hurricane strength by Sunday night or early Monday as it continues a track roughly parallel to the coastline. That trajectory would reduce...