Hurricane Roslyn churns off Mexico’s Pacific coast

Roslyn became a Category 1 hurricane off Mexico’s Pacific coast Friday night, as forecasters expected it to make a weekend landfall between the resorts of Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Roslyn’s maximum sustained winds had increased to 85 mph late Friday night. The storm was centered about 255 miles south of Cabo Corrientes — the point of land jutting into the Pacific south of Puerto Vallarta — and moving northwest at 7 mph.

Forecasters said Roslyn was expected to continue gaining force, and could become a strong Category 2 hurricane before curving northward, brushing past Cabo Corrientes and then reaching the coast Saturday night or early Sunday.

“The center of Roslyn will move parallel to the southwestern coast of Mexico tonight and early Saturday, then approach the coast of west-central Mexico, making landfall along this coastline Saturday night or Sunday morning,” the NHC said in an advisory.

Hurricane Orlene made landfall in roughly the same region, about 45 miles southeast of Mazatlan, on Oct. 3.

The hurricane center said hurricane-force winds extended out 15 miles from Roslyn’s core.

Mexico issued a hurricane warning covering a stretch of coast from a point south of Puerto Vallarta north to San Blas and for the Islas Marias.

The National Water Commission said rains from Roslyn could cause mudslides and flooding. and the U.S. Hurricane Center warned of dangerous storm surge along the coast.

Jalisco state Gov. Enrique Alfaro said on Twitter that any school activities in the region would be cancelled Saturday and he urged people to avoid touristic activities at beaches and in mountainous areas over the weekend.