Tropical Storm Fernand to dump heavy rains on Mexico’s coast

Tropical Storm Fernand could dump a deluge as it hits land along a sparsely populated stretch of Mexico’s upper Gulf coast Wednesday afternoon, possibly causing flash floods and mudslides.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Fernand had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) early Wednesday and was centered about 45 miles (70 kilometers) east of La Pesca, Mexico. It was moving to the west at 6 mph (9 kph) and was expected to make landfall later in the day.

Forecasts say the storm could drop 6 to 12 inches of rain, with as much as 18 . . .