Hurricane Otis strengthened on Wednesday to a Category 5 storm as it made landfall in Mexico.

The hurricane, which had been a tropical storm as of Tuesday morning, rapidly intensified within 24 hours.

<div class="InlineImage GpQC lZur asrE " data-testid="prism-inline-image"><figure class="kzIj GNme pYrt dSqF " data-testid="prism-figure"><img alt="PHOTO: This handout picture courtesy of NOAA/RAAMB taken on October 24, 2023 shows hurricane Otis approaching Mexico's southern Pacific coast." class="hsDd vBqt oOra " data-testid="prism-image" draggable="false" src="https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/f4cd31e5-cf9c-4553-8c7e-d9842de1d158/mexico-o_hpEmbed_20231025-033239_3x2.jpg" width="100%" height="auto"><figcaption><div class="SAMu aBIU PriD " data-testid="prism-caption"><div class="HXPP IzgM VcHI uhSz YGNM "><span class="hsDd OOSI GpQC lZur VlFa " data-testid="prism-truncate"><span><span class="ncwc Qmvg nyTI VbLm ystq kqbG akor ARhV ygKV yHyq tsIf WHLR lKuK CVfp xijV soGR XgdC aWMf ">This handout picture courtesy of NOAA/RAAMB taken on October 24, 2023 shows hurricane Otis approaching Mexico's southern Pacific coast.</span></span></span></div><div class="qinl IpWv lyWx "><span class="YNuj JGtj ncwc Qmvg nyTI VbLm ystq kqbG akor ARhV ygKV yHyq tsIf WHLR lKuK CVfp xijV soGR XgdC aWMf ">NOAA/AFP via Getty Images</span></div></div></figcaption></figure></div>

Wind speeds approached 165 mph on Wednesday, strong enough that the storm may bring catastrophic damage.

<div class="InlineImage GpQC lZur asrE " data-testid="prism-inline-image"><figure class="kzIj GNme pYrt dSqF " data-testid="prism-figure"><img alt="PHOTO: People walk along a beach as Hurricane Otis barrels towards Acapulco, Mexico, October 24, 2023." class="hsDd vBqt oOra " data-testid="prism-image" draggable="false" src="https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/eac376a7-9062-4697-b97a-8bc2f1450d1c/hurricaneo_hpEmbed_20231025-033350_3x2.jpg" width="100%" height="auto"><figcaption><div class="SAMu aBIU PriD " data-testid="prism-caption"><div class="HXPP IzgM VcHI uhSz YGNM "><span class="hsDd OOSI GpQC lZur VlFa " data-testid="prism-truncate"><span><span class="ncwc Qmvg nyTI VbLm ystq kqbG akor ARhV ygKV yHyq tsIf WHLR lKuK CVfp xijV soGR XgdC aWMf ">People walk along a beach as Hurricane Otis barrels towards Acapulco, Mexico, October 24, 2023.</span></span></span></div><div class="qinl IpWv lyWx "><span class="YNuj JGtj ncwc Qmvg nyTI VbLm ystq kqbG akor ARhV ygKV yHyq tsIf WHLR lKuK CVfp xijV soGR XgdC aWMf ">Javier Verdin/Reuters</span></div></div></figcaption></figure></div>

Flash flooding is also possible with up to 20 inches of rain are expected.

Hurricane Otis strengthened on Wednesday to a Category 5 storm as it made landfall in Mexico.{ai:summary}<p>Hurricane Otis strengthens to Category 5 and hits Mexico with destructive wind speeds and potential for flash flooding. #weather</p>

'Catastrophic damage' likely as Hurricane Otis makes landfall in Mexico as Category 5 storm, NOAA says

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