Hurricane Jova strengthens off Mexico's west coast

The storm, with top winds reaching 90 miles per hour, was about 280 miles southwest of the port city of Manzanillo, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.

Mexico's government issued a hurricane watch for the southwest coast from Punta San Telmo on the Baja California peninsula to Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco state.

Hurricane-force winds were possible within the watch area by Tuesday afternoon, the center said.

The storm is moving east at about 8 mph and is expected to turn to the east-northeast on Monday, the Center said.

"Jova could become a major hurricane by Monday night or Tuesday," the hurricane center said. Jova is expected to reach land early in the week.

Mexico has no oil installations in the Pacific but Jova is headed to a part of the coast popular with tourists.

All Mexico's major ports were open.

(Reporting by Elinor Comlay; Editing by Peter Cooney)