MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Hurricane Norbert strengthened off Mexico's Pacific coast on Tuesday and was expected to grow more fierce before hitting the Baja California peninsula later in the week.
Norbert became a Category 2 hurricane as it headed toward a sparsely populated area north of the Los Cabos resort that is popular with American tourists, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
Its maximum sustained winds were near 105 mph.
"Norbert is expected to become a major hurricane on Wednesday," the center said.
The storm, which is the seventh hurricane of the East Pacific season, appeared to be on track to pass closer to the city of La Paz.
Norbert was located about 500 miles south of the southern tip of the peninsula.
(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Bill Trott)
