Tropical Storm Karl begins to turn in Gulf off Mexico coast

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Karl has begun a turn expected to bring it to Mexico’s southern Gulf coast. Karl is expected to approach land by the weekend without gaining  hurricane strength. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Karl had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph late Wednesday. It was centered about 240 miles north-northeast of the port city of Veracruz. The storm was expected to turn toward the south and drift toward Mexico’s Gulf coast by Friday. Tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 115 miles from the center. The hurricane center says Karl could bring up to 12 inches of rain to isolated parts of Veracruz and Tabasco states.