Hurricane Erick strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane on Wednesday afternoon as it churns in the Pacific Ocean near coastal southern

Hurricane Erick has formed in the Pacific Ocean and is expected to rapidly strengthen, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Erick is rapidly intensifying in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and is about 100 miles south-southeast of Puerto Angel, Mexico, and is now forecast to become a major hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).