Hurricane Norbert weakened to a category one hurricane late on Thursday but was still forecast to strike Mexico's Baja California peninsula at hurricane strength, forecasters said.

At 0300 GMT on Friday, Norbert was packing winds near 90 miles (150 kilometres) per hour as it churned north-northwest in the Pacific Ocean west of Mexico, with landfall forecast for early Saturday, according to the US National Hurricane Centre, based in Miami, Florida.

The Mexican State of Baja California prepared evacuation shelters as Norbert churned toward the narrow strip of western Mexico on Thursday.

"All precautions are in place ... we have prepared temporary shelters," Jose Gajon, director of Baja California state rescue services, told national radio.

"We'll decide today (Thursday) if we'll evacuate families to secure sites."

The storm was expected to hit the southern tip of Baja California, a major tourist area, on Saturday before crossing the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, and hitting land again in northwest Mexico on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Odile churned up Mexio's Pacific coast further south with sustained winds of 50 miles (85 kilometres) per hour.

Meteorological services warned of strong winds and heavy rains in days ahead.

AFP