Hurricane Kristy is upgraded to Category 3 as experts reveal chance of US being hit

Hurricane Kristy has been upgraded to Category 3 as it strengthens in the Pacific Ocean.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued the advisory on Wednesday, placing the storm about 600 miles southwest of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.

Travelers to Mexico are urged to “exercise caution and expect weather-related disruptions,” including heavy rain, strong winds and flooding.

Kristy is moving at 20 miles per hour with sustained winds of 125 miles per hour.

“Kristy’s impressive and rapid intensification has continued this morning,” the NHC shared.

“The gradually warming eye of the hurricane is surrounded by a ring of very deep convection, with infrared cloud tops between -75 and -80 degrees C.”

While models show the storm moving north toward the California coast, forecasts have predicted it will likely turn westward and move further into the Pacific.

AccuWeather Meteorologist Jesse Ferrell has suggested the hurricane could reach Category 4 tonight.

Sitting at Category 3 puts Kristy on par with Hurricane Milton that hit Florida on October 9.

Kristy strengthened into a tropical storm on Monday off the southern Pacific coast of Mexico before strengthening into a hurricane on Tuesday.

This beast of a storm is churning in the Pacific, intensifying and gaining speed as it moves over the open ocean.

Waves produced by the storm will hit areas of the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula later this week, causing potentially fatal surf and rip current conditions, according to the NHC.

Forecasters predict steady to rapid strengthening on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by moderate weakening beginning Friday.

Brad Reinhart, a hurricane specialist at the center, said: “This one is moving west at a rapid speed toward the sea, so there is no concern for land.”

Because Kristy is expected to continue moving in open waters, officials have not issued coastal watches or warnings.