MIAMI (AP) — A hurricane warning was issued Tuesday for a portion of southern Mexico as Tropical Storm Erick gained strength in the Pacific Ocean, forecasters said.

Tropical Storm Erick is expected to rapidly intensify into a hurricane this week, with some meteorologists anticipating it will reach major hurricane status before making landfall in Mexico on Thursday morning.

Erick, now a tropical storm, is forecast to become a powerful hurricane before making landfall southeast of Acapulco on Thursday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain.