Adrian, the first tropical storm of the Pacific season, became a major hurricane Thursday but remained "well off" the coast of Mexico, dpa quoted the Miami-based US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) as saying. Adrian, which became a hurricane early Thursday, had sustained winds of 185 kilometres per hour with higher gusts, and was located about 710 kilometres southeast of Cabo Corrientes, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It was moving northwest at 15 kilometres per hour. "This general motion is expected to continue during the next two days, keeping the hurricane away from the coast of Mexico," the NHC said. Adrian was a category three hurricane on the five-tier Saffir-Simpson scale, and some strengthening was likely Thursday and Friday. Mexican Civil Protection officials urged for caution at sea because of the rain, wind and waves associated with the storm that are expected to affect the states of Michoacan, Guerrero and Oaxaca.
