Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami say tropical storm Miriam, churning far off the Mexican coast in the Pacific Ocean, strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane early Monday.

According to the NHC‘s 5 am update, Hurricane Miriam was centered about 415 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California with sustained winds of 105 miles per hour and gusts up to 125 mph.

“Miriam is now a hurricane and strengthening rapidly… Miriam is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph…19 km/h.  This general motion with a reduction in forward speed is expected during the next couple of days,” said the center.

Despite the expected strengthening in Miriam, forecasters said there were no coastal watches or warnings in effect for the hurricane.

The NHC’s calculations for Miriam’s projected path also show her reaching landfall by Friday by which time the storm’s winds will likely have slowed to anywhere between 39 and 74 mph, which would mean the system would have downgraded from hurricane strength and become a tropical storm yet again.

Meanwhile in the Atlantic, Nadine regenerated into a tropical storm after losing tropical characteristics near the Azores last week.

As of the NHC’s 5 am update, Tropical Storm Nadine was about 455 miles south of the Azores with maximum sustained winds of 55 mph.

The center of Tropical Storm Nadine was located near latitude 31.4 north, longitude 26.9 west, moving west-northwest at 7 mph.

Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours.

For more details including up-to-date tracking information on Hurricane Miriam and Tropical Storm Nadine, head over to Weather.com.

Tropical Storm Miriam Gains Strength, Now A Category 2 Hurricane is a post from: The Inquisitr