Hurricane Bud Weakens to Category 2 Storm as it Nears Mexican Coast

Hurricane Bud, the first hurricane and second named storm of the 2012 season, weakened to a Category 2 storm as it headed early Friday toward an area of beach resorts and small mountain villages on Mexico’s coast.

According to U.S. National Hurricane Center, Bud is centered about 105 miles southwest of Manzanillo and was moving north-northeast near 8 miles per hour with winds of 110 miles per hour as of the last advisory, issued just before 11am EST.

The NHC added that while continued gradual weakening was expected, the storm was still forecast to be “at or just below hurricane strength” upon reaching landfall in Mexico.

“Hurricane conditions are expected to reach the coast within the hurricane warning area this afternoon,” the center said in an advisory. “Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.”

Reuters reports that Hurricane Bud is expected to soak the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco and southern Nayarit with around 6 to 8 inches (15 to 25 cm) of rain.

As a result, authorities canceled school in multiple communities throughout the states and emergency workers were preparing emergency shelters, many of which would be located in empty school classrooms.

ABC News has more on Hurricane Bud and the 2012 storm season in the video below: