MEXICO CITY — As Tropical Storm Barbara continued its path northwestward away from land on Tuesday, it began to lose strength after initially intensifying into the season’s first hurricane in the eastern Pacific. The storm, however, still presents potential hazards.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, ocean waves generated by Barbara are anticipated to affect sections of the southwestern and west-central coastlines of Mexico, along with the southernmost regions of Baja California. These waves have the potential to produce hazardous surf conditions and life-threatening rip currents.
At the time, Hurricane Barbara was situated approximately 180 miles (290 kilometers) west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes in Mexico. Although it reached hurricane status on Monday, its peak sustained winds had since diminished to around 60 mph (95 kph). The storm’s trajectory pointed northwest at a speed of 8 mph (13 kph). Forecasts from the NHC predicted further weakening, with expectations that Barbara would dissipate entirely by Wednesday.
Initially, Barbara was projected to bring significant downpours to coastal regions within the states of Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco, posing a risk of localized flooding.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Cosme experienced a mild increase in strength on Monday but remained far off the Mexican coast on Tuesday. It was positioned roughly 605 miles (975 kilometers) south-southwest of the tip of Baja California, as noted by the NHC.
In the early hours of Tuesday, Cosme’s maximum sustained winds recorded a speed of 70 mph (110 kph) while moving northwest at 5 mph (7 kph). It was predicted that Cosme would not see much change in its strength before beginning to weaken later in the day.