Eighteen Mexican ports along the Gulf were closed Friday to small and medium craft navigation.  Hurricane Bret was located 210 miles (338 kilometers) east of Tampico and heading north at 8 mph (13 kph), the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami reported. The storm crossed the hurricane threshold with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (129 kph) and was expected to continue building strength and start gradually turning northwest.

James Franklin, a hurricane specialist at the center, said his "best guess" is that it will reach the Mexican coast, probably on Monday.  "Of course, there's enough uncertainty in the forecast," he said. If the storm doesn't start moving west, it may not strike land until it crosses the border into Texas.

The storm is expected to continue building strength over the weekend. The forecast for Sunday is for sustained winds of 98 mph (158 kph).

A hurricane watch was in effect from the coastal town of La Pesca, 350 miles (563 kilometers) north of the Gulf port city of Veracruz. Area residents were told to expect as much as five to eight inches of rain, beginning as early as Saturday. Some showers were nearing the southern Texas coast.

In the northern coastal state of Tamaulipas, which includes Tampico, a state of alert was declared along the coast and a state official, Vladimir Martinez Ruiz, announced that 500 shelters are being prepared in case residents are forced to leave their homes, the government news agency Notimex reported.

In Veracruz state, Gov. Miguel Aleman also ordered that all schools be available for use as emergency shelters.