Aletta becomes first hurricane of 2018 Pacific season

June 7 (UPI) — Aletta strengthened from a tropical storm to a hurricane — the first of the Pacific hurricane season — Thursday afternoon off the coast of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said.

The center of the storm was located about 455 miles west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. It had 75-mph maximum sustained winds and was moving west-northwest at 6 mph, the NHC’s 5 p.m. EDT update said.

There were no watches or warnings in place.

Forecasters expect the storm to make a turn toward the northwest over the weekend before a westerly turn Sunday or Monday. Aletta should strengthen over the next couple days before weakening back to a tropical storm midday Sunday and a tropical depression midday Tuesday.

The NHC said Aletta became a hurricane 19 days before the average date of the first eastern Pacific hurricane, which is June 26.