Tropical Storm Beatriz forms off Mexico’s Pacific coast and may soon become a hurricane

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Beatriz has formed off Mexico’s southern Pacific coast and may strengthen rapidly to become a hurricane as early as Friday. U.S. hurricane forecasters say Beatriz was about 110 miles south of Acapulco late Thursday and moving west-northwest at 12 mph with sustained winds of 40 mph. A hurricane warning was in effect from Zihuatanejo to Playa Perula. The storm was expected to slow its forward movement over the weekend, and dump heavy rain as it scrapes along several southern Mexican states.