Hurricane Erick rapidly intensified over the last 24 hours, growing into a powerful Category 4 storm but weakening slightly before making landfall.

Hurricane Erick made landfall in western Oaxaca, Mexico, just before 6 a.m. local time. It did so as a Category 3 with 125 mph sustained winds. Overnight, the storm briefly strengthened to an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 as it approached the coast.

The storm threatens to unleash destructive winds near where the eye crashes ashore, flash floods and a dangerous storm surge, forecasters said.