(CNN) -- The first named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to gain strength as it moves toward Mexico.
At 5 a.m. ET, Tropical Storm Arlene packed maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph (65 kph), according to a statement from the National Weather Service.Arlene was about 165 miles (265 kilometers) east-northeast of Tuxpan, Mexico, moving west-northwest at a speed of about 8 mph (13 kph), the agency said in a statement Wednesday morning. The storm is expected to turn more toward the west later in the day.Tropical storm force winds extend outward from the center up to 115 miles (185 km).The center of the storm is expected to reach the northeastern coast of Mexico early Thursday.When Arlene makes landfall, the storm surge could raise water levels up to 2 feet above normal tide markers.Tropical Storm Arlene is also expected to produce 4- to 8-inches of rain in some areas. But up to 15-inches could fall in some mountainous areas.A tropical storm warning is in effect for the coast of northeastern Mexico from Barra de Nautla to Bahia Algodones.The Atlantic hurricane season spans June 1 to November 30.
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