Hurricane Vance rapidly strengthened into a Category 2 storm on Friday off Mexico's Pacific coast and could become a major Category 3 hurricane, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Vance had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (170 kph) as it churned about 425 miles (685 kilometres) south-southwest of Acapulco, according to an NHC advisory reported by the Associated Press.
Source: Associated Press, Oct 23, 2026
In its Advisory 10, issued at 3:00 pm CST on Friday, the NHC placed the centre of Vance near latitude 11.2 north and longitude 102.3 west, moving northwest at about 5 mph (8 kph), with a minimum central pressure of 971 mb. 'Vance strengthening quickly and could become a major hurricane tonight,' the advisory said.
Source: US National Hurricane Center Advisory 10, via BajaStorms, Oct 23, 2026
Forecasters said Vance could briefly reach Category 3 strength, with winds near 115 mph (185 kph), as early as Saturday, though confidence in that forecast was low because cooler water and increasing wind shear could cap further strengthening. The storm is expected to continue moving northwest through the weekend and approach the Puerto Vallarta area by Monday, forecast summaries of the NHC outlook said.
Source: NHC forecast summary, Oct 23, 2026
The NHC warned that swells generated by Vance are expected to pound portions of Mexico's southern and southwestern coast this weekend and into next week, and are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. The hurricane's outer bands were already funnelling gale-force winds and rough seas into Mexico's Gulf of Tehuantepec, the centre said. As of Friday's advisories, no coastal tropical cyclone watches or warnings were in effect.
Source: NHC forecast summary, Oct 23, 2026
Mexico's national water commission CONAGUA said the storm's circulation was expected to bring heavy rain to parts of Guerrero and Michoacan states. Forecasters said Vance is likely to weaken before it reaches the vicinity of the coast near Manzanillo next week, but urged people in the region to stay informed as the forecast evolves.
Source: Vive USA, citing CONAGUA and NHC, Oct 23, 2026
It has been an intense Pacific hurricane season, with storms forming in quick succession near Hawaii and Mexico as El Nino conditions worsened by global warming create unusual weather. If it reaches major-hurricane strength, Vance would be the seventh major hurricane in a row this year in the Pacific, following Nolo, Odalys, Polo, Rachel, Simon and Trudy, the Associated Press reported.
Source: Associated Press, Oct 23, 2026