A storm swirling hundreds of miles off Mexico's Pacific coast strengthened into a hurricane Friday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, said.Flossie's winds increased to 75 mph and were expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours, the center said. On Friday morning, the hurricane was 1,300 miles southeast of Hawaii and moving west at 14 mph, said Richard Knabb, a hurricane specialist with the center.
Flossie could remain a hurricane for the next two days but is expected to weaken by the time it nears Hawaii, in about four days, Knabb said. Flossie is forecast to move south of the islands, possibly as a tropical storm.
"But even a system passing to the south can bring significant rain" and surf swells, he said, adding that Hawaiian residents should be on alert.
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