Franklin, a storm that has been churning off the southwest coast of Mexico, has become the Atlantic's first hurricane of the season and is expected to make landfall in the next several hours, battering Mexico's Gulf Coast with torrential rains, according to the National Hurricane Center. MEXICO CITY — Franklin strengthened into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season on Wednesday as it moved closer to Mexico's central Gulf coast, heading for an overnight landfall that would be its second on Mexican territory in three days. Tropical Storm Franklin took aim at Mexico's central Gulf coast after a relatively mild run across the Yucatan Peninsula, with forecasts saying it would strengthen into a hurricane before making its second landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday. MEXICO CITY (REUTERS) - Tropical storm Franklin is expected to develop into a hurricane later on Wednesday, the US National Hurricane Centre said, and is set to crash into eastern Mexico's key oil-producing Gulf state of Veracruz as the Atlantic's first hurricane of 2017. Hurricane Franklin is located about 70 miles (113 kilometers) north of Veracruz, Mexico, and is moving west at approximately 13 miles per hour (21 km/h), according to an advisory issued at 11 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT) by the National Hurricane Center (NHC). A hurricane warning has been in effect for the coast of Mexico from Puerto de Veracruz to Cabo Rojo and a hurricane watch is in effect for the coast of Mexico north of Cabo Rojo to Rio Panuco. A hurricane warning is in effect for the coast of Mexico from Puerto de Veracruz to Cabo Rojo, and a hurricane watch extends north of Cabo Rojo to Rio Panuco. Four to eight inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of rain were forecast for mainland areas in the storm's path, with localized amounts of up to 12 inches (35 centimeters).
Hurricane Franklin, the Atlantic Ocean's first hurricane of the season, is set to hit Mexico's Gulf state of Veracruz tonight or tomorrow morning. The category 1 storm is expected to lose strength as it moves inland through the oil-producing state.