Hurricane Patricia

[Candor]

(CNN) Patricia -- the strongest hurricane ever recorded -- barreled closer and closer Friday morning to Mexico's Pacific coast, where residents have been told to brace for its 200-mph sustained winds and torrential rains.

The Miami-based meteorological center, in its 10 a.m. CT (11 a.m. ET) advisory, warned of a "potentially catastrophic landfall ... in southwestern Mexico" late that afternoon or early evening. While its strength could fluctuate, "Patricia is expected to remain an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane through landfall."

Patricia has potential to cause massive death and destruction over a large swath of the Mexican Pacific coast, including the tourist hot spots of Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco.

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This hurricane is really, really bad news. 200-mph winds to me is almost beyond belief. I hope no one has any family or friends in the affected area.

[Astray]

A big disaster that ruins everything? Patricia seems like an appropriate name.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

I heard about it on the radio this morning, it definitely sounds like a catastrophe. I've been to PV in Mexico, the old city is built on a pretty steep hillside.. With 20 inches of rain expected, it will be amazing if there isn't a disastrous landslide. They said that people are being evacuated in the storm's path, hopefully everyone is heeding the warnings.

[Tenlaar]

I expected this to be more racist.

[Velfi]

We've been feeling the effects of Patricia up here, so I can only imagine the areas further south near landfall.

[Androidpk]

We've been feeling the effects of Patricia up here, so I can only imagine the areas further south near landfall.

Apparently the storm broke down into a tropical storm fairly quickly.

[subzero]

Apparently the storm broke down into a tropical storm fairly quickly.

It realized it was hitting Mexico and no one really cared.