Hurricane Juliette Regains Strength By Associated Press

September 25, 2001, 6:23 AM EDT

MEXICO CITY -- Hurricane Juliette strengthened on Tuesday, whipping up high waves and heavy rain along Mexico's southwestern coast and threatening to become a major storm once again. Forecasters say Juliette could reach the tip of the Baja California peninsula late this week.

The hurricane's sustained winds reached 125 mph Tuesday after falling as low as 105 mph on Monday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

Juliette also picked up speed as it churned up Mexico's Pacific coast, causing minor flooding and downing trees in and around Acapulco.

Near the resort city, a fisherman died when his small open boat capsized in heavy seas, the government news agency Notimex reported.

Juliette, already powerful Category 3 hurricane, could become a Category 4 one on Tuesday, the storm center said. The hurricane had reached Category 4 strength on Sunday, when winds rose as high as 145 mph.

The ports of Acapulco and nearby Zihuatenejo were closed. Heavy rain warnings were in effect in six states in southern Mexico.

The storm was located 215 miles south of Manzanillo and heading northwest at 8 mph early Tuesday. Long-term forecasts showed the storm nearing tourist resorts at the tip of the Baja peninsula late this week.

Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 230 miles.

A hurricane watch was in effect along a 250-mile stretch of coast from Lazaro Cardenas to Cabo Corrientes.

Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001