Hurricane Kay lashes southern Mexico with rain

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Kay lashed Mexico’s Pacific coast with rain Tuesday as it moved northward toward the Baja California Peninsula. Kay’s maximum sustained winds rose to 85 mph (140 kph), with forecasters saying it could brush the peninsula as a hurricane this week.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Kay was located about 290 miles (470 kilometers) south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja peninsula.

Kay was moving northwest at 15 mph (24 kph). A tropical storm warning was issued for the southern part of the peninsula.

Forecasters expected Kay to stay offshore as it moves more northward, roughly parallel to the coast, as it continues to strengthen.

Kay could draw near to land later in the week at a relatively unpopulated spot around Isla de Cedros.

In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Earl was expected to strengthen northeast of Puerto Rico after dropping heavy rain across the Leeward Islands, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

On Monday, Earl was located about 570 miles (915 kilometers) south of Bermuda and was heading north-northwest at 5 mph (7 kph).

Earl had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) and was expected to grow into a major hurricane later this week while turning toward the open Atlantic.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Danielle weakened far out over the Atlantic — some 765 miles (1,230 kilometers) west-northwest of the Azores.

It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph).