YIKES: Acapulco, Mexico is expected to be hit by a Category 5 hurricane tonight [View all]
Colin McCarthy
@US_Stormwatch
In a shocking turn of events, Hurricane #Otis in the Eastern Pacific has unexpectedly, explosively intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in just 12 hours.
Even worse, the storm is expected to make a catastrophic landfall tonight as a Category 5 hurricane near Acapulco, Mexico, home to 1 million people.
Only 18 hours ago, people were expecting a tropical storm at landfall, and now a devastating Category 5 storm is likely.
This is pretty much a worst-case scenario, as residents have little time to find a safe shelter and protect life and property from this life-threatening storm.
A major hurricane (Category 3+) has never made landfall within 50 miles of Acapulco, let alone a Category 5 hurricane.
Otis could become the first Eastern Pacific hurricane ever recorded to make landfall as a Category 5 in Mexico.
Anyone in or near Acapulco should rush storm preparations to completion as there is little time left to shelter from #Otis.
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