‘Narda’ likely to become tropical storm again off Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Tropical depression “Narda” is expected to regain tropical storm strength Monday after passing over the Mexican resort of Puerto Vallarta with heavy rain, which caused flooding in Zihuatanejo and other spots farther south along the shore.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm had moved on from Puerto Vallarta to the Gulf of California early Monday, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph) after weakening overland. It was heading to the northwest at 17 mph (28 kph) and was predicted to regain tropical storm strength over the open water in the next few days.

Authorities reported flooded roads and rivers, and the storm also toppled trees and billboards in Acapulco. Local media reported that a 26-year-old man died in Oaxaca state while trying to cross a river in San Pedro Mixtepec.

The Hurricane Center said Narda could continue to drop 5 to 10 inches (12.5 to 25 centimeters) of rainfall along the coast as far north as Nayarit and warned that life-threatening flash floods and mudslides were possible, especially in mountainous terrain. It said Baja California Sure state could get from 1 to 4 inches (0.5 to 1.6 centimeters) through Monday night.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Lorenzo weakened to Category 3 force in the central Atlantic Ocean after several hours as a Category 5 — which made it the strongest storm ever observed so far north and east in the Atlantic basin.  The Hurricane Center said that the storm had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 kph) during the night.

Lorenzo was moving north-northeast at 13 mph (20 kph) and was centered about 1,125 miles (1,815 kilometers) west-southwest of the Azores, a Portuguese island chain.

Portuguese authorities issued a hurricane watch for the central and western Azores and a tropical storm watch for the eastern Azores. Forecasters said the storm was expected to remain large and powerful as it passes near the Azores on Tuesday and Wednesday, before eventually stalling as a tropical storm west of Ireland.

Officials said swells produced by the storm could cause dangerous surf conditions around the North Atlantic basin. /jpv