Hurricane Rosa Weakens To Tropical Storm: Flooding, Landslides Expected In US, Mexico

Hurricane Rosa weakened to a tropical storm late Sunday as it headed toward northwest Mexico. According to latest forecasts from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), heavy rains were expected across northern Baja California, Mexico and in the southwestern parts of the United States.

The storm might cause flooding, landslides, and debris flow in parts of northwestern Mexico and the western U.S., a public advisory issued by the NHC at 11 p.m. PDT Sunday (2.00 a.m. EDT Monday) said.

Currently, the storm was about 160 miles west-southwest of Punta Eugenia and about 345 miles of San Felipe, Mexico, the advisory stated. The storm has a maximum sustained wind speed of 60 miles per hour with higher gusts. Storms with a maximum sustained wind speed of 74 miles per hour and above are usually classified as hurricanes.

The tropical storm was moving toward the north-northeast at about 12 miles per hour, stated the advisory, adding it was expected to continue in the same direction through Tuesday. The center of the storm will near central and northern Baja California peninsula on Monday, then will move into the northern Gulf of California by Monday night.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for the west coast of Baja California peninsula from Punta Abreojos to Cabo San Quintin, and a watch for the same was issued for the east coast of the Baja California peninsula from Bahia de Los Angeles to San Felipe.

Baja California and northwestern Sonora were expected to receive around 3 to 6 inches of rain, while central and southern Arizona might get around 2 to 4 inches. The rest of the Desert Southwest, Central Rockies, and Great Basin were expected to receive around 1 to inches of rain, according to the advisory.

The rainfall might produce “life-threatening flash flooding,” “dangerous debris flow” and landslides in mountainous terrain, the report added.

Flash flood watches were announced by the National Weather Service through Wednesday for areas including southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwestern and central Utah and the western two-thirds of Arizona.

Swells likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions were expected in portions of the coasts of southwestern Mexico, most of the west coast of the Baja California peninsula, and southern California through Tuesday.

The storm was expected to dissipate Tuesday over northwestern Mexico or the southwestern United States, the advisory said. It also asked people who reside in the above-mentioned areas to consult local weather offices for updates regarding the storm.

Rosa was a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 28 as per the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, before dropping down to a Category 2 hurricane overnight and then to a tropical storm.

Meanwhile, the NHC said tropical storm Sergio was moving westward over the Pacific and could become a hurricane late Sunday night or Monday in a public advisory issued at 9 p.m. MDT Sunday (11.00 p.m. EDT). No immediate threat to land due to the storm was announced.