A hurricane again, but Carlos stays out at sea moving parallel to coast of southwestern Mexico

ACAPULCO, Mexico – Schools stayed closed and shelters stood ready along Mexico’s southwestern coast Monday while Hurricane Carlos swirled offshore, battering beaches with high waves and strong winds.

The storm grew back into a marginal hurricane, but the U.S. National Hurricane Center said it was likely to fade to tropical storm force by Wednesday while travelling roughly parallel to the coastline and brushing past the Puerto Vallarta region.

Carlos was centred about 100 miles (165 kilometres) southwest of the port city of Lazaro Cardenas late Monday with top sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph), the Hurricane Center said. The storm was moving west-northwest about 6 mph (9 kph).

Big waves churned up by the storm lashed Acapulco over the weekend, swamping boats and washing away more than a dozen small palm-frond huts, and strong winds knocked down some trees and billboards. No major damage or deaths were reported.

Officials said schools would be closed Monday and urged residents to stay inside their homes. Authorities for Guerrero state said 507 shelters, including 98 in Acapulco, had been prepared in coastal areas.

Rain accumulations of 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimetres) were possible in southwestern Mexico, with a chance for up to 15 inches (37 centimetres) in some areas, the Hurricane Center said.

A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch were in effect from Punta San Telmo to Playa Perula.