Hurricane Erick rapidly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane as the monster storm approached the southern coast of Mexico. FOX Weather Meteorologists Britta Merwin and Craig Herrera have the latest.
Hurricane Erick continues to rapidly intensify and reached Category 4 strength as the extremely dangerous storm continues to approach the southern coast of Mexico in an area popular with travelers.
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This satellite image shows Hurricane Erick on approach to Mexico on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
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This frame grab from AFPTV video footage shows the beach of the popular tourist town of Puerto Escondido as Hurricane Erick approaches Mexico’s Pacific coast as a powerful Category 3 storm in Oaxaca state, Mexico on June 18, 2025. Hurricane Erick barreled down on Mexico’s Pacific coast Wednesday having strengthened to a powerful Category 3 storm, the US National Hurricane Center said, warning of potentially deadly floods. (Photo by Carlo ECHEGOYEN / AFPTV / AFP) (Photo by CARLO ECHEGOYEN/AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images)
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This frame grab from AFPTV video footage shows the popular tourist town of Puerto Escondido as Hurricane Erick approaches Mexico’s Pacific coast as a powerful Category 3 storm in Oaxaca state, Mexico on June 18, 2025. Hurricane Erick barreled down on Mexico’s Pacific coast Wednesday having strengthened to a powerful Category 3 storm, the US National Hurricane Center said, warning of potentially deadly floods. (Photo by Carlo ECHEGOYEN / AFPTV / AFP) (Photo by CARLO ECHEGOYEN/AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images)
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This frame grab from AFPTV video footage shows the popular tourist town of Puerto Escondido as Hurricane Erick approaches Mexico’s Pacific coast as a powerful Category 3 storm in Oaxaca state, Mexico on June 18, 2025. Hurricane Erick barreled down on Mexico’s Pacific coast Wednesday having strengthened to a powerful Category 3 storm, the US National Hurricane Center said, warning of potentially deadly floods. (Photo by Carlo ECHEGOYEN / AFPTV / AFP) (Photo by CARLO ECHEGOYEN/AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images)
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People arrive at a school set up as a temporary shelter before Hurricane Erick hits Acapulco in Guerrero State, Mexico, on June 18, 2025. Hurricane Erick has strengthened to a powerful Category 3 storm as it barrels down on Mexico’s Pacific coast, the US National Hurricane Center said Wednesday. Now a major hurricane, Erick is expected to bring “potentially destructive winds and life-threatening flash floods to portions of southern Mexico” late Wednesday and Thursday, it said. (Photo by Francisco Robles / AFP) (Photo by FRANCISCO ROBLES/AFP via Getty Images)
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Businesses board up their properties before Hurricane Erick hits Acapulco in Guerrero State, Mexico, on June 18, 2025. Hurricane Erick has strengthened to a powerful Category 3 storm as it barrels down on Mexico’s Pacific coast, the US National Hurricane Center said Wednesday. Now a major hurricane, Erick is expected to bring “potentially destructive winds and life-threatening flash floods to portions of southern Mexico” late Wednesday and Thursday, it said. (Photo by Francisco Robles / AFP) (Photo by FRANCISCO ROBLES/AFP via Getty Images)
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Residents and visitors in coastal communities like Puerto Escondido and Acapulco were urged to hunker down as Erick approached with winds of 140 mph and torrential rain that is expected to produce flash flooding and mudslides that will likely create life-threatening conditions along the country’s southwestern coast.
President Claudia Sheinbaum posted a video to X late Wednesday night telling residents that all activities have been suspended in the region, and told people to remain inside their homes for safety or to move to shelters if they live in low-lying areas.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Hurricane Erick is expected to make landfall in the western portions of the Mexican state of Oaxaca or the eastern portion of the Mexican state of Gurrero on Thursday morning, and then continue inland over Mexico during the day.
The hurricane underwent rapid intensification on Wednesday, which occurs when a tropical cyclone’s maximum sustained winds increase by at least 35 mph over a 24-hour period.
As Erick approached Mexico on Wednesday, the Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s Hurricane Hunters flew their first operational mission of the season into the storm, heading to gather data for the National Hurricane Center.
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Being a major hurricane, Erick will set the record for being the strongest June cyclone to make landfall along Mexico’s Pacific coast, triggering some memories of Hurricane Otis in 2023.
Otis was the strongest hurricane to ever impact Acapulco, with sustained winds of 165 mph, but due to the cyclone’s unpredictable nature, many were caught off guard by its fury.
Mexican authorities reported more than 50 deaths and damage estimates that eclipsed $10 billion from the late-season disaster.
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Mexico’s government issued a Hurricane Warning from Puerto Angel to Acapulco, with other tropical weather alerts issued both south and north of the expected landfall location along the country’s southern coast.
The mountainous terrain between Mexico City and the coast is expected to quickly unravel the cyclone, but not before mudslides and flooding impact communities well inland.
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A dangerous, life-threatening storm surge is also expected to produce coastal flooding near and to the east of where Hurricane Erick roars ashore in areas of onshore winds.
That surge will also be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
The swells generated by Erick will continue to affect the coast of southern Mexico through Thursday, and will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip-currents at beaches.
