MIAMI — The National Hurricane Center says Carlos has become a hurricane swirling far off Mexico's Pacific coast.

The storm's maximum sustained winds have increased to near 80 mph and the center in Miami says the storm could further strengthen in the next 24 hours.

As of 5 p.m. EDT Saturday, Carlos was centered about 1,000 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. The storm is moving toward the west nearly 12 mph on a path taking it farther out to sea.

The center says hurricane force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center of Carlos. Tropical storm winds extend outward up to 85 miles from the storm's center.