MEXICO CITY, Oct 15, 2013 (AFP) - The Mexican government issued a tropical storm warning Monday as Octave took aim at an already disaster-weary Mexico, while a second storm, Priscilla, swirled far out to sea.
Tropical Storm Octave, with maximum sustained winds of up to 50 mph (85 kph), was expected to approach the west coast of Baja California by Tuesday morning, the US National Hurricane Center . The storm is forecast to weaken over the next 48 hours and could be a tropical depression by the time it nears land. Heavy rains are already spreading across portions of the southern Baja California Peninsula, an area that could see three to six inches (7.6 to 15.2 centimeters) of rain along with the central peninsula. The storm system arrives just three weeks after the country weathered the dual blast of storms Manuel and Ingrid. At least 157 people were killed in the historic downpours, including 101 in the southern Guerrero state. Dozens were left missing in the mountainous village of La Pintada after a landslide buried a third of the community.
September's torrential rains left 1.7 million people homeless. Authorities have issued a tropical storm warning for the southwestern portion of the Baja California peninsula. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Priscilla weakened a bit in the eastern Pacific Monday, packing winds of up to 40 mph (65 kph), forecasters from the NHC said. Priscilla should weaken to a tropical depression on Tuesday, when it is also expected to turn northwest, the Miami-based center said. The weather system was heading north at 8 mph Monday night, and was situated some 600 miles (970 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. No coastal warnings or watches were in effect, forecasters said.
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