While Tropical Storm Ophelia will soon weaken, Hilary is on the verge of becoming a hurricane and should continue to strengthen into a major hurricane south of Mexico's coast.
Recent satellite images showed Hilary developing an eye, a clear indication that thestrong tropical storm continues to gain strength and is on the verge of becoming a hurricane.
The intensification trend of Hilary will not stop once it reaches Category 1 hurricane status.
Instead, the warm waters of the eastern Pacific and a lack of wind shear (strong winds high in the atmosphere) will allow Hilary to strengthen into a major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger) before the end of Friday.
Hilary will strengthen as it remains 100 to 200 miles off the southern coast of mainland Mexico.
Such a track will keep the worst effects of Hilary offshore. However, bands of heavy rain and tropical storm-force winds will still graze the coastline, including Acapulco, into Saturday morning.
"But any deviation to the north could bring more dangerous weather to coastal areas," warned AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Randy Adkins.
Surf along the coast will also be extremely rough and dangerous for swimmers through this weekend.
Later this weekend into early next week, the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center expects Hilary to move out to sea.
However, that may not lead to its total demise.
AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski states that a trough of low pressure eventually headed into the western United States could cause Hilary to severely alter its course.
"Depending on how far south and east that trough progresses will determine if [Hilary] boomerangs back to the east, closer to the coast of Mexico later next week," stated Sosnowski.
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