Weaker Hurricane Karl hits Mexican coast
Downgraded to Category 2 storm
A slightly weakened Hurricane Karl hit Mexico's east coast Friday afternoon, bringing hurricane-force winds of up to 175 km/h and the possibility of 250 millimetres of rain.
The Category 2 storm was 25 kilometres west of the coastal city of Veracruz at 2 p.m. ET.
Karl had been a Category 3 storm; it was downgraded after its top sustained winds dropped to 175 km/h from 195 km/h earlier in the day.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for the area between Veracruz north to Cabo Rojo.
Forecasters warned that Karl could dump 120 to 250 millimetres of rain across the central and southern Mexican Gulf coast, with up to 380 millimetres possible in the interior mountains. Meterologists said that much rain could produce flash floods and mudslides.
The hurricane was also expected to produce a storm surge of up to 4.5 metres above normal tide level.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Igor remained on a course that could take it to Bermuda by Monday. A hurricane watch is in place for the island.
Igor remains a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h.
As of 2 p.m. AT, Igor was about 1,070 kilometres south-southeast of Bermuda, moving northwest at 14 km/h.