Tropical Storm Celia maintains strength off Mexico

A gorge formed after the tropical storm Agatha runs through the San Sebatian coffee farm in San Miguel Duenas June 16, 2010.

MIAMI – Tropical Storm Celia maintained strength over the Pacific Ocean off southern Mexico early Sunday as U.S. based forecasters warned the storm could become a hurricane later in the day.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami warned large ocean swells from Celia would continue to produce dangerous surf along portions of Mexico's Pacific coast. It added the storm was expected to gradually strengthen in coming hours, edging nearer to hurricane strength.

At 5 a.m. EDT, Celia was centered about 340 miles (550 kilometers) south-southeast of Acapulco, the center said. Maximum sustained winds were about 65 mph (100 kilometers per hour). Cecilia was moving westward at 8 mph (13 kilometers per hour).

Also Sunday, Tropical Storm Blas continued to weaken as its maximum winds dropped to 45 mph (75 kilometers per hour), down from about 60 mph (95 kilometers per hour) late Saturday night. The center said Blas would further weaken through Monday.

Blas was centered 405 miles (650 kilometers) south-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and moving west-northwest at about 9 mph (15 kilometers per hour).