Hurricane Erick has formed in the Pacific Ocean and is expected to rapidly strengthen, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Erick is nearing Mexico's Pacific coast on a forecast track to make landfall along the country's southern states.

The Pacific hurricane season is running nearly a month ahead of schedule, experts say, as the basin sees its fifth named storm and second hurricane of the season, which began just over a month ago.