Though Adolph never moved ashore, its close approach to land as well as its slow, unpredictable movement resulted in the issuance of a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch for southern Mexico around the time when the cyclone attained major hurricane strength. The threat for heavy rainfall was mentioned for areas from Puerto Ángel to Zihuatanejo when Adolph was a depression and later from Acapulco to Lázaro Cárdenas. The government of Mexico expressed concern that rain and waves from Adolph would affect Oaxaca, Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Guerrero. The hurricane was responsible for the closure of ports in Acapulco to small vessels.