Erick was expected to reach hurricane strength as it neared land Wednesday. The cyclone was centered about 180 miles (290 kilometers) south-southeast of Puerto Ángel, Mexico, at 3 a.m. CST (0800 GMT), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

The storm was downgraded slightly before making landfall, from a powerful Category 4 to a Category 3, and had a maximum sustained winds at 125 mph.