Hurricane Patricia became the strongest storm ever measured on the planet early Friday, with experts warning it could trigger 40-foot waves along Mexico's coast and "life-threatening" flash flooding.
Several million residents were told to prepare for the "worst-case scenario" as Patricia was expected to race ashore on Mexico's Pacific coast late Friday afternoon or early evening. The tourist magnets of Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo were directly in the Category 5 storm's projected path.