Mexico's southern coast is facing the threat of catastrophic damage as Hurricane Otis makes landfall near Acapulco. The Category 5 storm arrived with sustained winds of 165 mph (270 km/h) and heavy rain. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns of the potential for flash floods, mudslides, a storm surge, and life-threatening surf and rip currents. The storm could bring up to 20 inches (51 cm) of rain to parts of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Mexico's national water agency, CONAGUA, has warned of high surf off the coast. The defense ministry has enacted a disaster plan, and authorities are preparing storm shelters and coordinating evacuations. Schools across Guerrero have canceled classes for Wednesday.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has urged coastal residents to seek shelter and avoid rivers, streams, and ravines. As the storm moves inland and over southern Mexico's higher terrain, it is expected to weaken and dissipate Wednesday night. However, the hurricane center has described the situation in the Acapulco metropolitan area as extremely serious, with no hurricanes on record near this level of intensity for the region. The storm's primary threats are damaging winds, heavy rainfall, dangerous storm surge, and coastal flooding.