Satellite image of Hurricane Olaf as it approaches the coast of Mexico on September 9, 2021.
NOAA
Hurricane Olaf was heading for a strike in the Los Cabos resort region on the tip of the Baja California peninsula on Thursday. As the storm approached, authorities closed ports in the area, prepared temporary shelters and urged people to monitor public announcements.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the area could see hurricane-force winds and very heavy rains Thursday afternoon and into the evening.
The ports of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo were closed to boat traffic, as tour operators moved boats to Cabo San Lucas to safer moorings.
The hurricane centered 185 kilometers (185 kilometers) southeast of Cabo San Lucas on Thursday afternoon with sustained maximum winds of 130 mph (130 km / h). It was advancing north-northwest at 15 km / h.
The Hurricane Center said Olaf is likely to strengthen as it approaches the coast.
Hurricane force winds extended up to 55 kilometers from the center and tropical storm winds up to 185 kilometers.
The hurricane was expected to bring 7 to 15 inches of rain from 3 to 6 inches in the southern part of the peninsula, with up to 25 inches at isolated points, creating the danger of flooding and mudslides.