Towns on Mexico’s Pacific coast are preparing for the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere to make landfall today. The state of Jalisco is directly in Hurricane Patricia’s path, with Mexico’s second-largest city Guadalajara as well as tourist destinations like Puerto Vallarta and Manzanilla in danger.

@conagua_clima

Imagen de #Patricia al amanecer sobre #Mexico en Cat 5 con vientos de 325 km/h y 880 hPa pic.twitter.com/Cfivz88CHK — Info y Emergencias (@Cieminfo) October 23, 2015

Evacuations in Puerto Vallarta and other coastal towns began yesterday, the Vallarta Daily reported, and 50,000 people are expected to leave their homes before this afternoon. The Mexican government has declared a state of emergency in 34 municipalities in Jalisco ahead of the storm, which Mexico’s national weather service predicted will also cause heavy rains from Thursday to Saturday. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s office issued this warning, among others:

Se espera que del jueves 22 al sábado 24, #Huracán #Patricia, genere lluvia con

acumulados totales de 150 mm a 300 mm — Presidencia México (@PresidenciaMX) October 23, 2015

The hurricane has been classified as a Category 5 storm, the highest possible rating. It is projected to bring winds of 160 miles per hour by the time it makes landfall, with a risk of serious flooding in the region. According to the National Hurricane Center, a Category 5 hurricane usually means:

Catastrophic damage will occur: A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

#HuracanPatricia was trending on Twitter in Mexico this morning:

#HuracanPatricia el más fuerte nunca antes registrado en el Pacifico, muy cerca se las costas de Colima. pic.twitter.com/vDa0SkUARi — Pedro Ultreras (@pedroultreras) October 23, 2015

Preocupada por lo que se dice del #HuracanPatricia ojalá todos tomen las precauciones pertinentes, mis oraciones con Uds!! — Brenda Bezares (@BrendaBezares) October 23, 2015

#HuracanPatricia Que Dios bendiga a todos y porfi no se olviden d los animalitos que tambien nos necesitan! — Karla C.R. (@Kcr_22) October 23, 2015

#HuracanPatricia Cuídense mucho, no quiero dejar de leer a nadie 💪🏽😢 — Harold Azuara (@haroldazuara) October 23, 2015

#HuracanPatricia me preocupa, que dios los proteja a todos 🙏🏽 — Ivan Mendez (@starshif) October 23, 2015

The Associated Press reports that the population of Jalisco state is around 7.3 million according to the 2010 census, with 255,000 in Puerto Vallarta. “This is an extremely dangerous, potentially catastrophic hurricane,” Dennis Feltgen, a meteorologist at the Hurricane Center in Miami, told the press agency, adding that Texas could see heavier rains as an after effect of the hurricane this weekend.

It’s already been a record-breaking year for severe storms in the Northern Hemisphere (the part of the globe above the equator). Hurricane Patricia is the 22nd Category 4 or 5 storm this year, breaking the previous record of 18 severe storms in 2004. In part, these weather events are being driven by El Niño, a weather cycle that causes warmer ocean temperatures in the Pacific and encourages tropical storm activity. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that by the end of the 21st century, global warming will likely increase the number and severity of hurricanes.