Hurricane Lidia Strengthens to a Major Category Before Making Landfall

Lidia became the East Pacific's 12th named storm in 2023 and strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane on midday Tuesday as it spun more than 155 miles off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. While it has yet to make landfall, Lidia is already causing issues along the coast. As forecasters continue to monitor the storm, they warn it could continue to strengthen even further.

Where Will Hurricane Lidia Make Landfall?

As Hurricane Lidia approaches Mexico with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, it is expected to move northeast and make landfall Tuesday evening as a Category 3 hurricane. Forecasters expected this storm to strengthen to a major hurricane, which is categorized by wind speeds with maximum sustained winds between 111-129 mph. Currently, Lidia is on path to strike between the Jalisco and Sinaloa states of Mexico.

The last major hurricane to hit Mexico was Roslyn almost exactly one year ago on October 23, 2022. Hurricane Lidia will be the first hurricane to strike Mexico this year.