Mexico City, Aug 18 (IANS): Tropical storm Genevieve has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane off Mexico's Pacific Coast states of Guerrero and Michoacan, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) said.

Genevieve, which could potentially intensify into a Category 4 hurricane as it moves west over the ocean, was expected to lash five states in southern and western Mexico with heavy rains, strong winds and high waves, Xinhua news agency quoted the agency as saying on Monday.

With its maximum sustained winds of 120 km per hour, and gusts of 150 km per hour, the hurricane also threatened to impact the states of Oaxaca, Jalisco and Colima.

The cyclone evolved into a hurricane in the morning and could gain strength and intensify into a Category 4 hurricane by Tuesday night, when its centre was expected to be located off the coast of Jalisco, said the agency.

The SMN called on seafaring vessels and residents in coastal areas in the five states to shelter from the rains, wind and waves caused by the hurricane, which was not expected to head inland.

Genevieve rapidly evolved into a hurricane from a tropical depression that formed on Sunday morning off the coasts of Oaxaca and Guerrero.