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 inches in isolated spots along the coast and in the Sierra Madre Oriental range. Fernand is expected to bring 2 to 4 inches of rain in South Texas.
Forecasters said the storm should dissipate over land on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Juliette was moving away from shore and weakening far off Mexico’s Pacific coast.
