Tropical Storm In Pacific Strengthens Off Mexico

MIAMI - The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Patricia has strengthened out in the Pacific, hundreds of miles off Mexico's Baja California peninsula.

Forecasters at the Miami center said at 5 a.m. EDT Monday that Patricia's center was located 305 miles south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California.

Patricia was moving toward the north-northwest at about 7 mph Monday. The center says maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph and more strengthening is expected in the next day or so.

The center says Patricia became a named tropical storm late Sunday and a tropical storm watch may be required for part of the southern Baja California peninsula later Monday.

Tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 70 miles from the center.