MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Two tropical storms are threatening flooding and heavy rainfall across much of Mexico’s Pacific coast, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Monday, with Storm Lidia set to strengthen into a hurricane by the evening.
Lidia was some 330 miles (530 km) off the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, moving east-northeast at 9 miles per hour (15 kph), the NHC said in its latest bulletin, with sustained winds reaching up to 70 mph (110 kph).
Lidia is expected to strengthen into a hurricane Monday night as it nears Nayarit and Jalisco states.
The NHC predicted hurricane conditions across parts of west-central Mexico starting Tuesday, with Lidia bringing a dangerous storm surge as it moves over the Islas Marias and risky surf along the Pacific coast and Baja California peninsula.
Lidia’s heavy rains could also bring flash and urban flooding across Nayarit, the Jalisco coast and southern parts of Sinaloa, the NHC said, adding it could bring tropical storm conditions as far south as the port city of Manzanillo.
Further south, the NHC estimated that Storm Max made landfall earlier Monday just west of the fishing community of Puerto Vicente Guerrero.
By Monday evening, Storm Max was moving inland bringing heavy rains over the states of Guerrero and Michoacan, the NHC said.
Images and videos shared by local media showed vehicles in Guerrero submerged in mud and carried off by strong currents after torrential rainfall caused roads to flood.
The NHC maintained a tropical storm warning between the popular resort city of Acapulco in Guerrero state, and north to Lazaro Cardenas, a major port city in Michoacan.
(Reporting by Sarah Morland; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
