Tropical Storm Gil strengthens in the eastern Pacific but isn’t expected to threaten land

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Gil was strengthening in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday but wasn’t expected to threaten land, forecasters said.

The storm is forecast to remain over open water and become a hurricane on Friday, the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It’s about 805 miles (1,295 kilometers) southwest of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico.

Gil had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 13 mph (20 kph).

There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect. The storm is expected to keep traveling to the west-northwest in the coming days, as well as speed up as it crosses over the ocean.

Gil is strengthening during a busy period for storms in the eastern Pacific.

Tropical Storm Iona is churning westward in the ocean, about 1,010 miles (1,630 kilometers) west-southwest of Honolulu with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. It was earlier a hurricane but has since weakened. It isn’t threatening land.

And other storms could develop in the coming days in the eastern Pacific, forecasters said.