Hurricane Kristy strengthens into a Category 4 storm in the Pacific Ocean

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Kristy strengthened into a Category 4 storm in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday and is expected to stay away from land during its hurricane-force travel in the Pacific Ocean, forecasters said.

The severe hurricane was located 710 miles (1,140 kilometers) south-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula and was moving westward at a speed of 20 miles per hour (31 km/h). According to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center, maximum sustained winds were 155 mph (250 km/h), just shy of Category 5.

Waves generated by Kristy will impact parts of the west coast of the Baja California peninsula later this week, the center said, and these will likely lead to life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Kristy became a tropical storm Monday off Mexico's southern Pacific coast Strengthening on Tuesday into a hurricane. Forecasters said a steady to rapid rise was expected on Wednesday and Thursday before gradually weakening from Friday.

The storm was expected to continue moving over open waters. There were no coast guards or warnings.

“This hurricane is moving due west well out to sea at a high forward speed, so there is no need for concern for land,” said Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist at the center.

In the Atlantic Ocean, Oscar dissolved The hurricane dissipated into tropical remnants on Tuesday after making landfall in Cuba on Sunday as a Category 1 hurricane. The island is recovering from floods and power outages.

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Associated Press reporter Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.