Hurricane Kristy Strengthens Into Category 3 Storm in Pacific Ocean

MEXICO CITY—Hurricane Kristy strengthened into a Category 3 storm in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday and was expected to remain away from land as it grows more powerful, forecasters said. The storm was 650 miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, and was moving west at 20 mph. It had maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. Waves generated by Kristy will affect portions of the west coast of the Baja California peninsula late this week, the center said, and those are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Kristy became a tropical storm Monday off of Mexico’s southern Pacific coast before strengthening Tuesday into a hurricane. Steady to rapid strengthening was expected Wednesday and Thursday, before it starts to gradually weaken beginning on Friday, forecasters said....