Tropical Storm Ileana forms in Pacific off Mexico, heads toward Los Cabos resorts

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Ileana formed Thursday off the Pacific coast of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said, and was heading on a forecast path that would take it over or near the resort-studded area of Los Cabos, on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula.

Ileana was centered about 240 miles (385 kilometers) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, the Miami-based center said in an afternoon advisory. Maximum sustained winds were at 40 mph (65 kph), and Ileana was expected to strengthen over the next day.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for portions of the Baja California peninsula, including Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Forecasters predicted 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of rain would fall with Ileana, and up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) was possible for coastal areas of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco states through early Friday.

The hurricane center said Ileana is forecast to pass over the state of Baja California Sur on Friday and move into the Gulf of California by early Saturday.

Tropical Storm Ileana was the only active tropical storm in the National Weather Service's Eastern Pacific basin on Thursday. In the Atlantic basin, post-tropical cyclone Francine was bringing heavy rain to parts of the southern United States, and a tropical depression was moving over the open seas west of the Cabo Verde islands.