Bud, now a major hurricane, expected in Mexico Friday

Hurricane Bud grew into a Category Three storm overnight Friday, when it was expected to make landfall on Mexico's Pacific coast.

Agence France-Presse, citing the US National Hurricane Centre, wrote that first eastern Pacific hurricane of the 2012 season was about 150 miles southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico and packing sustained winds of nearly 115 miles per hour.

In its path was an area of beach resorts and small mountain villages stretching south from Puerto Vallarta, according to the Associated Press.

School was canceled in 11 communities in Jalisco state, and emergency workers were preparing emergency shelters, the AP wrote.

Officials in Puerto Vallarta were in close contact with managers of the hundreds of hotels in the city in case tourists needed to be evacuated to shelters.

The storm was forecast to weaken by late Friday, but Bud "is still expected to reach the coast of Mexico as a hurricane," the Miami-based NHC said.

A hurricane warning had been issued for Manzanillo northwest to Cabo Corrientes, CNN wrote.

Meanwhile, forecasters said Thursday they expected nine to 15 named storms this year, including four to eight hurricanes, the Miami Herald reported.

The six-month season “officially” begins on June 1.

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