MEXICO CITY, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Tropical storm Hilary turned into a Category 1 hurricane on Monday as it approached Mexico's Pacific coast, with the country's weather service (SMN) warning that four states are set to be lashed with heavy rain.
The SMN warned that at 10 a.m., Hilary was 475 km to the south of Punta San Telmo, Michoacan, and 545 km from Manzanillo, Colima, with gusts of wind up to 155 km per hour.
While Hilary is not set to make landfall on Mexico, it will likely see Michoacan receive 75-150 mm of rain, while Colima will receive 50-75mm of rain.
Hilary formed as a tropical depression on July 21, off the coast of Oaxaca, but could become a Category 3 hurricane by Tuesday as it continues past the state of Jalisco and then weaken back to Category 1 as it buzzes Baja California Sur.
Ahead of the rain, the SMN warned that winds and waves will pose a risk along the coast of four states and asked the residents to pay attention to safety recommendations by civil protection authorities.
