MEXICO CITY (AP) -- While the Atlantic Basin is quieting down, that is not the case in the Pacific. Hurricane Kristy strengthened into a major Category 3 storm in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday morning, Kristy's center was located 650 miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 125 miles and was moving west at 20 mph.

Waves generated by Kristy will affect portions of the west coast of the Baja California peninsula late this week. Those are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the West Coast.

Kristy became a tropical storm Monday off of Mexico's southern Pacific coast before strengthening Tuesday into a hurricane. Steady to rapid strengthening is expected Wednesday and Thursday before gradually weakening on Friday.

Fortunately, the storm is forecast to remain away from land as it grows more powerful. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect.

"This one is moving due westward at a quick forward speed well out to sea, so no concerns for land," said Brad Reinhart, a senior Hurricane Specialist at the National Hurricane Center.

In the Atlantic Ocean, Oscar disintegrated Tuesday after making landfall in Cuba as a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday. The island is recovering from flooding and power outages.