Doubling in strength in less than a day and expected to further grow further, Hurricane Erick is chugging through the ideal environment to power up quickly as it approaches Mexico's southern Pacific Coast.

Hurricane Erick had strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approached the coast but weakened to a Category 3 storm before making landfall on Thursday.

Hurricane Erick strengthened in the Pacific Ocean and could become a major hurricane before striking Mexico, the National Hurricane Center warned.