Tropical Storm Bud Is Almost a Hurricane

Forecasters say Tropical Storm Bud is nearly a hurricane and a tropical storm watch has been issued for a portion of the southwestern coast of Mexico. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm is expected to become a hurricane on Thursday, with wind and tropical storm conditions expected to reach the southwestern coast of Mexico by late Friday.

 Mexico issued the tropical storm watch along the Pacific coast from Punta San Telmo to La Fortuna. Bud currently is centered about 410 miles (655 kilometers) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and is moving northwest near 6 mph (9 kph)

The storm's maximum sustained winds Wednesday evening are near 70 mph (110 kph).