Bonnie strengthens into major hurricane off of Mexico
The National Hurricane Service issued advisories for Bonnie
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tropical storm Bonnie strengthened into the first major hurricane of the eastern Pacific season on Tuesday.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued advisories on the storm, which was located a couple of hundred miles south of southwestern Mexico.
It crossed over Central America from the Caribbean, dropping heavy rain and contributing to at least two deaths.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, forecasters said they expected the hurricane to pose no threat to land.
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A boat arrives in Bluefields Bay after Tropical Storm Bonnie hit the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, Saturday, July 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Inti Ocon)
Bonnie caused heavy flooding in Nicaragua over the weekend after making landfall as a tropical storm, leading to the casualties.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nicaragua’s army said that 40-year-old Alberto Flores Landero died trying to cross the swollen Mati River in Siuna and that Juan Carlos Alemán, 38, died trying to help passengers from a bus that fell into the Ali Bethel River.
Maximum sustained winds were near 105 mph, with higher gusts.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The NHC said some fluctuations in strength are possible through Thursday, while a gradual weakening trend is expected to begin thereafter.
Hurricane Bonnie's track in the Pacific Ocean (NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center)
The agency also warned that a broad area of low pressure is expected to form south of Mexico's southern coast toward the end of the week.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A disturbance by Hurricane Bonnie (NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center)
While the NHC noted that environmental conditions are conducive for gradual development of the system as it moves generally west-northwestward, it has a near-zero chance of formation through the next two days and a 20% chance of formation over the course of the next five days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.