About 600 miles off the west coast of Africa, large clusters of thunderstorms begin organizing into tropical storms every ...

The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program has been particularly important for understanding when a hurricane is about to ...

NOAA's WP-3D Orion planes, nicknamed Kermit and Miss Piggy, fly into hurricanes to gather critical data for forecasting.

It was moving northwest at 12 mph (19 kph), the hurricane center said. The storm was downgraded slightly before making landfall, from a powerful Category 4 to a Category 3.

The hurricane's center was located about 20 miles east of Punta Maldonado. Its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 125 mph. It was moving northwest at 9 mph, the hurricane center said.

Erick is expected to rapidly weaken as it crashes into the coastal mountains of southern Mexico, and the system is likely to dissipate late Thursday or early Friday, the hurricane center said.

The hurricane's center was located about 20 miles east of Punta Maldonado. Its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 125 mph. It was moving northwest at 9 mph, the hurricane center said.

While slightly reduced in power, Erick is still considered a major hurricane as a Category 3, which can carry winds of up to 129 mph.