Javier weakens to tropical depression off Mexico
MIAMI, United States (AFP) — US weather watchers downgraded a storm off Mexico’s Pacific coast to a tropical depression Tuesday and said it should break up into remnants as it moves through the Baja California peninsula.
Javier, which was around 105 miles (170 kilometers) northwest of Cabo San Lucas, was still expected to dump two to four inches of rain over Baja California and northern Mexico through Thursday, raising the risk of flash floods and mud slides, the National Hurricane Center said.
Mudslides triggered by remnants of Tropical Storm Earl have killed at least 45 people in eastern and central Mexico over the past few days.
The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said a hurricane monitoring plane found that Javier’s winds had dropped to about 35 miles per hour.
“Additional weakening is expected in the next couple of days, and Javier is forecast to become a remnant low within the next day or so,” the NHC said.
