Hurricane Willa threatens Mexico as 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 storm

Hurricane Willa, an "extremely dangerous" storm that was upgraded to a Category 4 late Sunday, was expected to hit Mexico's coast late Tuesday or Wednesday. (National Weather Service)

Hurricane Willa, an "extremely dangerous" storm that was upgraded to a Category 4 late Sunday, is expected to slam Mexico's Pacific coast late Tuesday or Wednesday.

The storm, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), "continues to rapidly strengthen," as it barrels toward the coast. As of the center's 8 p.m. ET advisory, the hurricane was roughly 225 miles south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph.

Willa is forecast to produce "life-threatening storm surge, wind, and rainfall" over areas of southwestern and west-central Mexico, meteorologists said.

A hurricane watch was in effect for a stretch of shore between San Blas and Mazatlan, while a tropical storm warning was posted for the area between Playa Perula to San Blas.

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The storm could produce dangerous storm surge, while dumping 5 to 10 inches of rain across parts of western Jalisco, western Nayarit and southern Sinaloa states, the NHC said.

Meanwhile, a weakening Tropical Storm Vicente appeared to be a less potent threat farther south. Forecasters said it was expected to weaken into a tropical depression overnight while remaining just offshore or near Mexico's southern Pacific coast through Tuesday morning.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.