Nov. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Tropical Storm Sergio grew stronger this morning off Mexico's Pacific Coast and may become the region's 10th hurricane of the season later today, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Sergio, the 19th named storm of the May-to-November Eastern Pacific hurricane season, churned the ocean 430 miles (692 km) south of Manzanillo with winds of 63 miles per hour (102 kilometers per hour), the Miami-based agency said. The storm has had little forward movement, said Alexio Avilla, senior hurricane specialist at the center.

``It's stationary right now, so it's not affecting anybody,'' he said in a telephone interview. ``We still think it's going to get a little stronger.''

The hurricane center is predicting a gradual northward track and sustained winds that will reach 92 mph tomorrow. That would put the storm on a path for mainland Mexico, although it is too early to say if it will make landfall, Avilla said. If the storm stays at sea, coastal communities will still likely be pummeled by heavy rains and winds, he said.

For now, the biggest danger is from high surf, the hurricane center said. Waves generated by Hurricane Paul in October killed two people in Baja California.

A statement released yesterday by Mexico's Civil Protection Directorate said the storm is sending moisture into the southwest part of the country. The agency put the northwest states of Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco and Baja California Sur on ``Blue Alert.''

Sergio reached tropical storm status yesterday as winds accelerated past 39 mph. It will be classified as a hurricane once it tops 73 mph.

The Pacific season produces an average of 16 named storms, nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes each year, according to data through last year on the National Climatic Data Center's Web site.

To contact the reporter on this story: Steven Bodzin in San Francisco at sbodzin@bloomberg.net. Courtney Dentch in New York at cdentch1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 15, 2006 07:35 EST