Tropical Storm Erick is expected to rapidly intensify before it arrives in Mexico later this week, with some meteorologists anticipating the storm to reach major hurricane strength before landfall. Animated weather footage from windy.

Erick, now a tropical storm, is forecast to become a powerful hurricane before making landfall southeast of Acapulco on Thursday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain.

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Erick formed early Tuesday near southern Mexico and is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The storm was about 450 miles southeast of Punta Maldonado, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour, the center said.