Hurricane Paul is expected to strike the lightly populated area of Mexico’s Baja California on Tuesday afternoon.
The Category 2 hurricane was roughly 70 miles south of Cabo San Lazaro according to early Tuesday reports and was moving north-northeast at 21 miles per hour with maximum wind speeds of 105 mph, according to the US National Hurricane Center. As much as 10 inches of rain in some areas may trigger flooding or mudslides, according to the Center, who warn that Hurricane Paul would cause dangerous coastal waves.
“The government of Mexico has replaced the tropical storm warning with a hurricane warning for a portion of the east coast of Baja California from San Evaristo to Mulege,” said the weather report. “Hurricane Paul moving toward Baja California in a hurry … preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.”
Hurricane Paul is expected to weaken once it hits the coastline, but it should stay over Baja California for roughly 36 hours, according to The Weather Channel. The storm is not currently expected to strike the tourist resorts in Los Cabos. Some rain from Hurricane Paul should make it to south Texas on Tuesday, according to other storm tracking reports.
“Paul is moving northeast on a track which will bring the center over Baja California in Mexico later today through Wednesday. Its intensity is expected to decrease in the process, but the forecast track and strength have warranted the issuance of tropical storm warnings and hurricane warnings for a portion of the coast,” reported TWC.
