With three dead, Hurricane Kay’s passage off the coast of Mexico is expected to remain strong

At least three people were killed in Tropical Storm Kay, Guerrero State Director of Civil Protection Roberto Arroyo told Reuters on Sunday.

The storm strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane on Monday night with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour, according to Mexico’s National Water Commission.

Arroyo said rainfall levels reached 140 millimeters.

Torrential rains hit Nayarit, Jaliso, Colima, Michoacán, Puebla and Oaxaca, according to Mexico’s National Weather Service.

Hurricane Kay is forecast to move northwest over the next five days, remaining west of Mexico, including the Baja California Peninsula. It is expected to strengthen over the next 36 hours and could “become a major hurricane during that time,” according to information from the US National Hurricane Center Tuesday morning.

Kay is expected to become a Category 2 hurricane in the next 12 hours and possibly reach a Category 3 on Wednesday, before starting to weaken on Thursday.

Kay is expected to produce 100 to 200 millimeters of rain, with isolated storm totals of up to 300 millimeters, in parts of western Mexico, including the Baja California Peninsula, through Thursday night. These amounts of rain can lead to flash floods, including landslides.

The hurricane is currently projected to run parallel to the west coast of Mexico, with outer tracks hitting the coast, but official forecasts indicate Kay will remain offshore and not make landfall at this time, according to the meteorologist at the CNN Monica Garrett.