Tropical Storm Barbara strengthens off Mexico’s Pacific coast, bringing heavy rain

MEXICO CITY AP Tropical Storm Barbara was strengthening off Mexico s Pacific coast and could become a hurricane Monday forecasters stated Barbara was centered about miles kilometers west-southwest of the touristic port of Zihuatanejo in Guerrero state late Sunday according to the U S National Hurricane Center in Miami It had maximum sustained winds of mph kph and was moving west-northwest at mph kph The storm was forecast to remain at sea though heavy rainfall may cause localized flooding and mudslides on Mexico s western coast Around to inches to centimeters of rain are doable across portions of Guerrero Michoacan Colima and Jalisco states through Monday Swells affecting portions of the southwestern Mexico coast for the next limited days could produce life-threatening surf and rip current conditions the hurricane center reported Another tropical storm Cosme formed southwest of Barbara s position and was posing no threat to land Cosme had mph kph maximum sustained winds late Sunday and may be near hurricane strength Monday U S forecasters reported It was blowing to the northwest at mph kph and was centered about miles kilometers south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California Source