MIAMI >> Eugene has strengthened into a hurricane over the open waters of the Pacific but remains far from the coast of Mexico.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said late this afternoon that Eugene’s maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph. It is the fifth hurricane of the Eastern Pacific season.

Eugene is centered about 410 miles south-southwest of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, and is moving west-northwest at 10 mph. There are no watches or warnings issued.

The forecast calls for it to stay far from land. The storm is projected to strengthen as it moves northwest over the next two days, but then weaken considerably as it moves over cooler Eastern Pacific waters.