Hurricane Rachel has intensified into a Category 3 system off Mexico's Pacific coast, hitting the region just as parts of the US Southwest and northern Mexico recover from widespread damage and severe flooding triggered by the remnants of Hurricane Polo earlier in the week.
Positioned roughly 235 miles (380 kilometres) south of Baja California's southern tip, the storm is crawling west-northwest at 3 mph (6 km/h). Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center expect further strengthening on Friday, followed by a gradual weakening over the weekend.
