Hurricane Trudy Hits Mexico's Pacific Coast
The Category 2 storm brings heavy rain and wind, with forecasters warning of potential flooding and mudslides.
Hurricane Trudy made landfall on Mexico's Pacific coast Sunday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued warnings for potentially life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
A hurricane warning was in effect for the stretch of coast from Manzanillo in Colima state to Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco. At the time of the latest advisory, the Category 2 hurricane possessed maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 kph). It was located approximately 135 miles (215 kilometers) south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes and 115 miles (185 kilometers) west-southwest of Manzanillo, moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).
The center of Trudy was expected to remain near the Mexican coast through Sunday evening before moving south of the Baja California Peninsula. A tropical storm warning was active for Las Islas Marias. The warning for the coast east of Punta San Telmo to Lazaro Cardenas was discontinued.
Authorities in Mexico urged mariners and coastal residents to exercise extreme caution due to high waves, heavy rainfall, and the risk of rising rivers, flooding, and landslides in vulnerable areas. Officials in Colima noted that while immediate risks were considered low, saturated ground from previous storms could exacerbate damage from heavy rainfall.
Forecasters anticipated Trudy would bring 4-8 inches (10-20 centimeters) of rain across the region over the weekend, with isolated totals possibly reaching 12 inches (30 centimeters) along and near the coast in Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco. The hurricane center specifically warned of potentially life-threatening flooding and mudslides, particularly in rugged terrain.
In related weather news, Typhoon Champi was passing Guam as a Category 4 super typhoon. As of Sunday afternoon, it was located 200 miles (320 kilometers) west of Guam, moving west at 14 mph (23 kph). The storm had sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph) and could strengthen into a Category 5 super typhoon early Monday local time. Guam and Rota remained under a typhoon warning.
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands had previously requested emergency disaster declarations. Federal disaster assistance was made available for Guam to support local response efforts following Typhoon Champi. The territories are still in the process of recovering from super typhoons Sinlaku and Bavi, which occurred in April and July, respectively.
