Hurricane Rick Weakens to Tropical Storm in Pacific

Hurricane Rick weakened to a tropical storm as it tracked across the eastern Pacific toward the west coast of Mexico, threatening flash floods and mudslides, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Photo: Hurricane Rick Weakens to Tropical Storm in Pacific

Rick’s sustained winds fell to about 110 kilometers (70 miles) per hour from 140 kph, according to a bulletin released before 11 p.m. Los Angeles time yesterday, Bloomberg reports.

Rick, still a powerful storm, was expected to weaken further before landfall by midweek.

Maximum sustained winds dropped to near 115 mph (185 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, said in a 11 a.m. ET advisory.

"Although additional weakening is forecast during the next day or so, Rick is still expected to be a dangerous hurricane as it approaches the southern Baja Peninsula," forecasters said. "Interests in western Mexico, should monitor the progress of this hurricane," CNN reports.

According to Reuters, hurricane Rick churned through the eastern Pacific Ocean toward Mexico on Monday, causing coastal sea surges that killed a man at a beach on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.

Rick, forecast to brush Baja California's luxury resorts by Wednesday morning, weakened to a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph) and was set to drop back to Tropical Storm intensity before brushing land.

A man from the nearby state of Sinaloa drowned on Sunday when he was caught up in pounding surf and pummeled against rocks at a beach near Los Cabos, local media said.