Tropical Storm Lane lashed Mexico’s Pacific coast with winds and rain, flooding streets in Acapulco before setting on a course to hit the hurricane-battered tip of the Baja California Peninsula.
The storm was centered late Thursday about 75 miles southwest of Manzanillo and was moving northwest at 6 mph. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph.
A tropical storm warning and hurricane watch were issued along Mexico’s mainland Pacific coast from Manzanillo to Cabo Corrientes and in the the Baja California Peninsula from Buena Vista to Agua Blanca. The storm was expected to strengthen to a hurricane on Thursday night or Friday, then hit land near Cabo San Lucas late Saturday. It was not forecast to hit the United States.
It dumped rain and whipped up waves in Acapulco, where authorities closed the port to small boats Wednesday. Streets were covered in up to 16 inches of water — including the beachside Costera Miguel Aleman, which runs past many of the resort’s luxury hotels.
There was also some flooding at the Acapulco airport, although service was not interrupted.
The storm was following the same path as Hurricane John, which raked Mexico’s Pacific coast early this month before slamming into Baja California, killing five people.
Forecasters warned that Tropical Storm Lane could dump up to 10 inches of rain, causing life-threatening mudslides and flooding.