Tropical storm Franklin is expected to develop into a hurricane later today, the US National Hurricane Center said, and is set to crash into eastern Mexico's key oil-producing Gulf state of Veracruz as the Atlantic's first hurricane of 2017.
This morning, the storm was located about 315 km east-northeast of the city of Veracruz, Mexico and was carrying maximum sustained winds of 110 kph, the centre added. Franklin was expected to weaken rapidly after making landfall.
The state of Veracruz, a major oil producer, is home to two important petroleum ports, one in Tuxpan and the other in the city of Veracruz.
Across Veracruz state's northern border is the Ciudad Madero refinery, capable of handling up to 190,000 barrels per day. The plant is on the periphery of the storm's possible path.
The storm made landfall late on Monday in a sparsely populated area of Quintana Roo state south of the beach resorts of the Riviera Maya, according to Mexico's interior ministry.
The Riviera Maya refers to a Caribbean coastal area that encompasses such cities as Cancun.