Powerful Hurricane Eric is approaching the Coast of Mexico

Hurricane Erick rapidly strengthened in the hours before landfall, making a run at Category 4 status while over the warm waters off of Mexico. The hurricane underwent rapid intensification on Wednesday, which occurs when a tropical cyclone's maximum sustained winds increase by at least 35 mph during 24 hours.

Residents and visitors in coastal communities such as Puerto Escondido and Acapulco were encouraged to hunker down as winds greater than 125 mph, flash flooding and mudslides threatened to create life-threatening conditions along the country's southwest coast.

As Erick approached Mexico on Wednesday, the Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron's Hurricane Hunters flew their first operational mission of the season into the storm, heading to gather data for the National Hurricane Center.

While the hurricane appeared impressive on satellite imagery, the cyclone was actually rather small in size with sustained hurricane-force winds estimated by Hurricane Hunter aircraft to extend outward only 25 miles from the center of circulation.

Being a major hurricane, Erick will set the record for being the strongest June cyclone to make landfall along Mexico's Pacific coast, triggering some memories of Hurricane Otis in 2023.

Otis was the strongest hurricane to ever impact Acapulco, with sustained winds of 165 mph, but due to the cyclone's unpredictable nature, many were caught off guard by its fury.

Mexican authorities reported more than 50 deaths and damage estimates that eclipsed $10 billion from the late-season disaster. Mexico's government issued a Hurricane Warning from Puerto Angel to Acapulco, with other tropical weather alerts issued both south and north of the expected landfall location along the country's southern coast.

The mountainous terrain between Mexico City and the coast is expected to quickly unravel the cyclone, but not before mudslides and flooding impact communities well inland.