Hurricane Trudy approaches Mexico as forecasters warn of flooding and dangerous surf

Manzanillo, Mexico. Hurricane Trudy held its intensity while heading towards western Mexico on Saturday, according to the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC). Forecasters said the storm could gain strength before weakening from Sunday.

Coastal approach expected overnight

The NHC placed Trudy roughly 190 miles (305 km) south-southeast of Manzanillo early Saturday. Its sustained winds reached a maximum of 90 mph (150 kph), while its forward speed was approximately 8 mph (13 kph).

The centre forecast an approach to Mexico’s southwestern and west-central regions later Saturday, followed by a passage close to the coastline overnight and into Sunday.

According to the NHC, tropical storm conditions would spread through the region during Saturday, with hurricane conditions expected that night within the warning zone. Areas covered by a hurricane watch could also experience hurricane conditions.

Heavy rainfall threatens flooding and landslides

The centre forecast weekend rainfall of four to eight inches (10 to 20 cm) across portions of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco, with isolated accumulations reaching around 15 inches. It warned that the rain could trigger flooding and landslides that threaten lives, particularly on steep ground.

In Guerrero and Nayarit, the hurricane’s outer bands could deliver two to four inches of rainfall, with isolated amounts near six inches, the NHC said. Localised flash floods were possible in those areas.

Storm surge and dangerous seas

The NHC warned that storm surge could flood coastal areas exposed to winds blowing onshore, alongside large, destructive waves.

Swells from Trudy were already reaching sections of Mexico’s southwestern shoreline, the centre said. They were forecast to extend north towards the west-central coast over the weekend, bringing potentially deadly surf and rip currents.