Storms brews in the Pacific

                                                                    Stromy waters will confront the famous cliff divers of Acapulco [Getty Images]

The Pacific Ocean is currently home to the two most significant storm systems on the planet  – although they are separated by a distance of almost 14,000 kilometres.

In the eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Carlotta was expected to be upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane.  Carlotta is the third named system of the 2012 season, after Arletta and Bud. She was centred approximately 750 kilometres southeast of the Mexican holiday resort of Acapulco at 0000 GMT on Friday.

It is expected that this system will remain just offshore but winds will strengthen to reach a peak mean speed of 150kph with gusts of 185kph around 12 GMT on Saturday.

A hurricane warning extends along the coast from the western Gulf of Tehuantepec to Acapulco.

Rainfall is expected to be a major concern with the possibility of up to 150mm along parts of the coastal plain. This is an area which is no stranger to landslides following heavy rain.

In June last year, three people died after Hurricane Beatriz hit the city and thousands of tourists took refuge in hotel basements as trees were uprooted and roads submerged.

At the same time, on the other side of the Pacific, Typhoon Guchol is approximately 600 kilometres east of the Philippines. The wind strength is already in excess of 170kph with gusts of 200kph. As Guchol passes to the east of the northern tip of Luzon at 0600 GMT on Saturday, winds are expected to peak at 200kph with gusts of 250kph.

The heaviest of the rainfall, like the winds, will remain to the east of the country but the outer rainbands will enhance rainfall across the country to give a wet and windy few days.

There is great uncertainty as to the track that Guchol will take as it moves northwards, away from the Philippines. It could certainly bring yet more heavy rain to Taiwan before either hitting the coastal regions surrounding the Yellow Sea, or turning right and crossing Japan.