Tuesday, 23 October 2018: The BBC map shows category three of (of five) Pacific Hurricane Willa bearing in on what appears to the the section of Coast between Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco and San Blás, Nayarit. Torrential rains and flooding are expected as well as winds to 205km/h - 125mph.
In fact, Willa made landfall as a Category 3 storm, near Isla del Bosque and Escuinapa, Sinaloa. according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Estimated winds speeds were recorded at 120 mph with a wind gust of 95 mph reported. The storm had prompted more than 4,000 evacuations in coastal towns.
Mazatlán is pretty much battened down, as it’s only 60 miles / 96 km north of Escuinapa.
Hurricane-force winds extended 35 miles from the storm's center, and tropical storm-force winds were up to 115 miles out. Forecasters said Willa could bring 6 to 12 inches of rain, with up to 18 inches in some areas.
“Willa is expected to produce storm total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches, with local amounts to 18 inches, across portions of western Jalisco, western Nayarit, southern Sinaloa, and far southern Durango in Mexico,” the NHC said, adding that landslides and flash flooding are likely.