MEXICO — Hurricane Bud has reached Category 3 force off Mexico’s Pacific coast, but forecasters say it’s likely to weaken before a possible brush with the resort-dotted southern tip of the Baja California peninsula late in the week.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Bud has maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph). It’s centered about 235 miles (380 kilometers) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and is moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).

Forecasters say Bud is expected to strengthen further before a slow weakening trend starts Tuesday. </s> MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Bud strengthened in the Pacific Ocean west of Mexico on Sunday even as former Hurricane Aletta was fading. Neither immediately threatened land, though Bud was expected to kick up high surf along the Mexican coast and potentially could reach the Los Cabos resort region by Thursday or Friday.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Bud had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) Sunday evening. It was centered about 235 miles (380 kilometers) south of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph).

Forecasters said Bud likely would strengthen rapidly for a day or so, but then begin to weaken late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The Hurricane Center said the storm could generate swells that cause life-threatening surf and rip currents over the coming days along Mexico's southwestern coast.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Aletta's winds were down to 45 mph (75 kph). It peaked on Friday as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph (220 kph). It was about 575 miles (925 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> MEXICO CITY - Hurricane Bud grew to Category 3 force off Mexico's Pacific coast on Monday, but forecasters said it was likely to weaken before a possible brush with the resort-dotted southern tip of the Baja California peninsula late in the week.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Bud had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph Monday morning. It was centered about 235 miles southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was moving northwest at 10 mph.

Forecasters said Bud was expected to strengthen further before a slow weakening trend starts Tuesday.

"Significantly cooler waters around the southern tip of Baja California should reduce Bud's intensity below hurricane status before it reaches that land," the center said.

The Hurricane Center said the storm could generate swells that cause life-threatening surf and rip currents over the coming days along Mexico's southwestern coast. Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated patches of 10 inches, was possible into Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Aletta's winds were down to 40 mph and it was predicted to dissipate by late Monday or early Tuesday. The storm peaked on Friday as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph. It was about 600 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. </s> MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Hurricane Bud has been losing intensity in the Pacific Ocean about 300 miles (483 km) off the coast of Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas on Tuesday, and should be no more than a tropical storm by the time it hits land, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

With maximum sustained winds of about 90 miles per hour (145 km per hour), Bud was downgraded to a Category 1 storm. It was churning slowly towards the beach resorts of Los Cabos on the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula, the Miami-based NHC said.

The center said “additional weakening is forecast, and Bud is expected to become a tropical storm on Wednesday.”

The storm is expected to reach the peninsula by late Thursday, the NHC said. Bud is still likely to be a tropical storm when it nears Baja California Sur, it added.

No coastal warnings were in effect.

The hurricane was moving towards the northwest at about 3 mph (5 kph).

Through Thursday, the storm is expected to cause rainfall of 2 inches to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) across much of southwestern Mexico, with up to 6 inches in some areas.

The heavy rain could cause deadly flash floods and mudslides, the NHC added. </s> MEXICO CITY — Hurricane Bud made a brief run as a powerful Category 4 storm off Mexico’s Pacific coast, but quickly faded into a much weaker hurricane still on a path expected to take it close to the resort towns on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula later in the week.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Bud’s maximum sustained winds had lessened to 90 mph (150 kph) by late Tuesday, dropping it to Category 1 strength. Earlier in the day, it had nudged across the 130 mph (210 kph) threshold for a Category 4 hurricane.

Bud was centred about 300 miles (485 kilometres) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula’s southern tip and was moving northwest at about 3 mph (6 kph).

“Further weakening, possibly rapid at times, is expected during the next 48 hours, and Bud is forecast to weaken below hurricane intensity by Wednesday night,” the hurricane centre said.

Forecasters said Bud would approach Baja California Sur on Thursday. The twin resort cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are popular destinations for international and domestic travellers, receiving millions of tourists annually.

The centre said the hurricane could cause dangerous surf along Mexico’s nearby coasts for the next several days. Heavy rainfall also was predicted for southwestern and western Mexico as well as the southern Baja peninsula. </s> Hurricane Bud weakened rapidly off Mexico's Pacific coast on Tuesday on its way towards the resorts at the southern end of the Baja California Peninsula.

The US National Hurricane Center said Bud has now been downgraded to a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130km per hour. It is currently located about 460km to the south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula's southern tip.

Earlier it had just barely crossed the threshold of wind strength to be classified as a Category 4 storm.

Bud is moving northwest at about 6 kph and is forecast to approach Baja California Sur late on Thursday evening as a tropical storm.

"Further weakening, possibly rapid at times, is expected during the next 48 hours, and Bud is forecast to weaken below hurricane intensity by Wednesday night," the center said.

The center said the hurricane still could generate dangerous surf and rip currents over the coming hours, with heavy swells already reaching the peninsula.

Bud is expected to produce 50 to 75mm of rainfall across much of southwestern Mexico through Thursday. Totals could be twice that in one or two places.

These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

Bud is also expected to produce as much as 125mm of rain across southern parts of Baja California Sur and Sonora in northwestern Mexico between now and Saturday.

The twin resort cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are popular destinations for international and domestic travellers, receiving millions of tourists every year. </s> MEXICO CITY (AP) — Newly formed Hurricane Bud swirled off Mexico’s southwestern coast heading for a possible brush with the southern end of the Baja California peninsula by Thursday or Friday, while former Hurricane Aletta headed out to sea as a tropical storm.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Bud had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph late Sunday. It was centered about 210 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was moving northwest at 10 mph.

Forecasters said Bud was expected to strengthen rapidly over the next 24 hours, but then begin to slowly weaken late Monday or early Tuesday.

The Hurricane Center said the storm could generate swells that cause life-threatening surf and rip currents over the coming days along Mexico’s southwestern coast. Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated patches of 10 inches, was possible into Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Aletta’s winds were down to 45 mph and it was predicted to dissipate by late Monday or early Tuesday. The storm peaked on Friday as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph. It was about 585 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. </s> Hurricane Bud, now a Category 3 storm with winds of 125 mph, continued to spin off Mexico’s west coast Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said. Earlier Tuesday, it briefly strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane.

The hurricane should weaken to a tropical storm before approaching the resorts of the southern Baja California peninsula.

Beyond that, the remnants of Bud should bring welcome rain to the parched and fire-ravaged Southwest U.S., potentially bringing the first in three months to cities such as Phoenix and Tucson. However, the heavy rain could also lead to flash flooding there.

As of 11 a.m. ET, the hurricane center said Bud was located about 325 miles south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja peninsula and was moving northwest at 6 mph.

Strong waves from Bud caused some coastal damage in Acapulco on Monday.

Forecasters said Bud is moving toward cooler waters and is likely to fall below hurricane strength by Wednesday night before hitting or grazing Cabo San Lucas as a tropical storm late Thursday or early Friday.

The hurricane will churn up the ocean water along the Mexican coast, which could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, the hurricane center said.

As rain from Bud falls across the Southwest, the combination of steep, rocky terrain and localized heavy rainfall will raise the risk of isolated flash flooding, AccuWeather warned. Dry stream beds, known as arroyos, can suddenly fill with rushing water.

Forecasters are also watching a weather system in the Caribbean, which the hurricane center gives a 20% chance of developing into a tropical depression or storm within the next five days.

Regardless of development, this disturbance will likely produce locally heavy rainfall across portions of Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, and the Yucatan Peninsula through Thursday, the hurricane center said. </s> MEXICO CITY -- Hurricane Bud weakened slightly and was once again a Category 3 storm off Mexico's Pacific coast on Tuesday. Earlier it had just barely crossed the threshold of wind strength to be classified a Category 4 storm.

Forecasters said they expected cooler waters to rob most of its punch before a potential collision with resorts on the southern Baja California Peninsula.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Bud had maximum sustained winds of 125 mph and was centered about 325 miles south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula's southern tip.

The hurricane center said the storm was about 225 miles southwest of Cabo Corrientes, near Puerto Vallarta.

Hurricane Bud is seen in an infrared satellite image capture at 2 p.m. ET on June 12, 2018. NOAA

Bud was moving toward the northwest at about 6 mph and was forecast to approach Baja California Sur on Thursday as a tropical storm.

"Further weakening, possibly rapid at times, is expected during the next 48 hours, and Bud is forecast to weaken below hurricane intensity by Wednesday night," the center said.

The center said the hurricane still could generate dangerous surf and rip currents over the coming days, with heavy swells reaching the peninsula later Tuesday.

A graphic from the National Weather Service shows Hurricane Bud's projected path as of 5 a.m. ET on June 12, 2018. Times displayed are MT. National Weather Service

Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated patches of 10 inches, was possible over much of the region.

The twin resort cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are popular destinations for international and domestic travelers, receiving millions of tourists annually.
Hurricane Bud grows into a category four hurricane with winds of 130 miles per hour (210 km/h) off of the Pacific Coast of Mexico.