Tropical Storm Danielle has formed off Mexico's eastern coast, and is spreading heavy rain inland.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Danielle's maximum sustained winds Monday morning have increased to near 45 mph (72 kph) with some slight strengthening forecast before the storm makes landfall later in the day.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from Laguna Verde to Río Pánuco.

The storm is centered about 75 miles (121 kilometers) east-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico, and is moving west at 7 mph (11 kph).

The storm is expected to produce rainfall totals of 6 to 10 inches with isolated areas possibly getting as much as 15 inches in higher terrain over several Mexican states.