Carlotta now a depression, likely to stay off Mexico coast

MEXICO CITY – Tropical Storm Carlotta weakened to a depression Sunday as it soaked Mexico’s Pacific coast in the region around the popular tourist resort of Zihuatanejo.

Carlotta, the third named storm of the Pacific hurricane season, had maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (45 kph) by late Sunday afternoon, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. It was centred about 65 miles (105 kilometres) south-southeast of Lazaro Cardenas.

The storm was moving west-northwest at 7 mph (11 kph), and the hurricane centre said it would probably stay just offshore through Monday while weakening into a remnant low by Monday morning.

Carlotta was causing heavy rain and carried the threat of flash floods and mudslides, particularly in mountainous areas.