Hurricane Trudy threatens western Mexico with heavy rain, coastal flooding

Hurricane Trudy maintained its strength as it moved toward Mexico’s western coast on Saturday, with forecasters warning it could strengthen further before beginning to weaken on Sunday. The US National Hurricane Centre said Trudy was about 190 miles (305 km) south-southeast of Manzanillo early on Saturday, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph). The hurricane was moving at about 8 mph (13 kph) and was forecast to approach southwestern and west-central Mexico later on Saturday before passing near the coast overnight into Sunday. Hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area on Saturday night, while tropical storm conditions are expected to spread across the region during the day, the NHC said. Hurricane conditions are also possible in areas under a hurricane watch. Trudy is forecast to bring four to eight inches (10 to 20 cm) of rain, with isolated totals of around 15 inches, across parts of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco through the weekend, raising the risk of life-threatening flooding and landslides, especially in steep terrain, according to the NHC. Outer rain bands could produce two to four inches of rain, with isolated totals of around six inches, in Guerrero and Nayarit, where localized flash flooding is possible, the centre said. The NHC also warned of possible coastal flooding from storm surge in areas exposed to onshore winds, accompanied by large and destructive waves. Swells generated by Trudy were already affecting parts of Mexico’s southwestern coast and are expected to spread northward toward the country’s west-central coast through the weekend, creating life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, the NHC said.