Hurricane Willa On Verge Of Becoming Category 5 Storm Off Mexico’s Pacific Coast

Newly formed Hurricane Willa rapidly intensified off Mexico’s Pacific coast Sunday and early Monday and became a major Category 4 storm on the brink of turning into a Category 5, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. As of 5 a.m. EDT., Wilma had maximum sustained winds of 155 mph -- just 2 mph short of a Category 5.

Even at Category 4, Willa is "extremely dangeorus," forecasters warned, adding that it was likely to strengthen slightly into a Category 5 Monday morning.