The Latest: Hurricane Otto weakens to Category 1 storm

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – The Latest on Hurricane Otto (all times local):

6:15 p.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says that Otto has weakened into a Category 1 hurricane as it moves across southern Nicaragua.

The centre says Otto is heading west at 12 mph (19 kph) on a track to emerge off of Central America’s Pacific coast by early Friday as a tropical storm.

On Thursday evening, its maximum sustained winds were 75 mph (120 kph) and it was located about 65 miles (105 kilometres) east of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

Otto made landfall as a dangerous Category 2 hurricane on a sparsely populated stretch of Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast earlier Thursday, becoming the southernmost hurricane on record to hit Central America.

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12:00 p.m.

Hurricane Otto has made landfall as a dangerous Category 2 storm on a sparsely populated stretch of Caribbean coast in Nicaragua.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Otto hit land near the town of San Juan de Nicaragua with winds of 110 mph (175 kph) around midday.

The centre says Otto is carrying dangerous rains.

It says the storm’s strike is southernmost landfall in Central America on record.

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6:15 a.m.

Hurricane Otto has strengthened to a Category 2 storm as it moves toward the sparsely-populated Caribbean coast border of Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

The hurricane’s maximum sustained winds increased Thursday morning to near 105 mph (165 kph) with some additional strengthening possible before landfall. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says weakening is expected after landfall and Otto is expected to be a tropical storm by Thursday night.

The hurricane is centred about 70 miles (110 kilometres) north of Limon, Costa Rica, and is moving west near 8 mph (13 kph).