Hurricane Trudy drenches Mexico's Pacific coast, threatening floods

Hurricane Trudy churned along Mexico's southwestern Pacific coast early Sunday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the states of Colima, Jalisco and Michoacán, according to the Associated Press and Reuters.

The AP, citing the U.S. National Hurricane Center, placed the Category 2 storm about 115 miles west-southwest of Manzanillo and 135 miles south of Cabo Corrientes, moving northwest. Versions of the AP report differed on its top sustained winds, giving 100 mph in one and 105 mph in another. Reuters, reporting a day earlier, said Trudy had winds of 90 mph and could strengthen before weakening Sunday.

Warnings and rain

A hurricane warning covered the coast from Manzanillo to Cabo Corrientes, and a tropical storm warning was in effect for the Islas Marías, the AP reported. A warning farther south was lifted.

Forecasters expected:

• 4 to 8 inches of rain in Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco, with isolated totals around 12 inches (Reuters cited up to 15 inches);
• 2 to 4 inches in Guerrero and Nayarit, according to Reuters;
• dangerous surf, rip currents and possible coastal flooding from storm surge.

The hurricane center warned of potentially life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in mountainous terrain.

Local response

Mexico's navy urged caution over high waves and rising rivers, the AP said. Authorities in Colima described the risk as low but cautioned that ground saturated by earlier storms could make the rain more damaging. No deaths or major damage had been reported.

The storm was forecast to stay near the coast through Sunday evening before moving south of the Baja California Peninsula.