A tropical storm off Mexico's Pacific coast strengthened into a hurricane today, Reuters cited the U.S. National Hurricane Center as saying. Hurricane Rick, the seventh hurricane of the eastern north Pacific season, was located about 290 miles (470 km) south of the resort city of Acapulco with maximum sustained winds near 75 mph (120 kph) with higher gusts. The center said outer rain bands of the Category 1 storm could reach the southeastern Mexican coast on Friday. "Substantial strengthening is expected during the next 48 hours and Rick may become a major hurricane on Saturday," the center said. Pacific storms pose no significant threat to Mexico's large oil industry as operations are concentrated in the Gulf of Mexico.
