Thousands Flee as Strongest Hurricane Ever Recorded Barrels Toward Mexico

Hurricane Patricia, the strongest hurricane ever, is bearing down on Mexico’s Pacific Coast with 200-mph sustained winds and battering rain.

The high wind speeds are especially dangerous, weather experts told INSIDE EDITION.

Read: Simuator Shows What Happens in a Category 5ive Hurricane

A Weather Channel expert called the Category 5 storm: “An eight-mile-wide tornado.”

Landfall is predicted at about 6 p.m. EDT Friday. In the early afternoon, winds of 60 mph were lashing the southern coast near Puerto Vallarta, the National Weather Service said.

Boys Who Saved Kids in Hurricane Katrina Reunites with Man Who Helped Them

Mexicans and American tourists were told to evacuate and thousands are fleeing.

Jason Sapp and Terri Satterfield  from Southern California said they had planned to get married in Puerto Vallarta, but they abandoned the resort and headed for Guadalajara.

Astronaut Scott Kelly tweeted: “Hurricane Patricia looks menacing from Space Station. Stay safe below.”

Watch Below: You Can Now Protect Your Home During Hurricane By Wrapping It Up