Hurricane Kay Threatens Baja California Coast; Hurricane Earl Forms in the Atlantic

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.

In the meantime, Hurricane Earl formed in the Atlantic and threatened to skirt by Bermuda with tropical storm-force wind, according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The Hurricane Center said Wednesday that Kay was located about 215 miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. At 9 a.m. maximum sustained winds were 105 mph, with some strengthening expected today.

Kay was moving northwest at 13 mph (20 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 strengthened to hurricane force 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 345 miles (555 kilometers) north of the island of St. Thomas and was heading north at 7 mph (11 kph).

Earl had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 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 835 miles (1,345 kilometers) west-northwest of the Azores.

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