Blas becomes hurricane in Pacific off southwestern Mexico

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Blas has strengthened from a tropical storm as it moves off the Pacific coast of southwestern Mexico, though forecasters say it isn’t likely to threaten land. Blas had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph) Wednesday night, and the U.S. National Hurricane Center says it may strengthen a bit more. But it is expected to begin weakening late in the week as it heads out into the open ocean. Late Wednesday, the storm was centered about 250 miles (405 kilometers) south of the Mexican port of Manzanillo and moving west-northwest at 6 mph (9 kph). The hurricane center warns that th estorm cause dangerous surf along Mexico’s coast.