Sept. 3 (UPI) — Lorena gained hurricane strength early Wednesday as it moved north toward the Baja California Peninsula, according to forecasters who are unsure if the storm will make landfall.

The storm, which formed early Tuesday, was located about 120 miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on the Baja California Peninsula, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 p.m. MST update.

It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and was moving northwest at 14 mph, it said.

The government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning for the west coast of Baja California from Santa Fe to Cabo San Lazaro and a tropical storm watch for the peninsula’s coast north of Cabo San Lazaro to Punta Abreojos.

A tropical storm watch was already in effect for the west coast of Baja California from Cabo San Lucas north to Cabo San Lazaro.

“On the forecast track, the center of Lorena is expected to move parallel to the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula today and Thursday and then could approach the coast on Friday,” the NHC said.

However, an NHC discussion on the storm states: “There is significant uncertainty as to whether Lorena will make landfall in Baja California Sur.

“If it does, the system should continue weakening and dissipate over northwestern Mexico by 120 [hours],” it said.

If it doesn’t make landfall, then the storm is expected to dissipate west of the peninsula in five days, the forecasters added.

Rapid strengthening is forecast overnight, though it is expected start weakening Thursday and could be a tropical storm by Friday.

“Steady to rapid intensification is likely during the next 24 [hours],” the NHC said in a discussion on the storm. “After that time, Lorena is forecast to move over cooler sea surface temperatures and into an area of southwesterly vertical shear. This should cause significant weakening, and Lorena is expected to weaken back to a tropical storm by 60 [hours].”

Baja California is expected to be inundated with rain from Lorena starting Wednesday, with storms potentially persisting through Friday, producing between 5 and 10 inches of rainfall, with maximum amounts of 15 inches, according to the NHC.

Heavy rainfall concerns across Arizona will begin late Wednesday through Friday, it said, which could cause flash flooding in areas of the state.

Lorena, the 12th named storm in the Eastern North Pacific this year, formed as Hurricane Kiko continued to strengthen over the Pacific Ocean.