Hurricane Manuel hit the shores of Mexico on Thursday with winds reaching upwards of 75 mph, but is expected to dissipate once it hits the mountain ranges, which will help to weaken the winds.
Manuel has done considerable damage to Mexico, particularly to the south, where heavy rains and mudslides have been deemed responsible for 80 deaths; 58 people are now missing. 40,000 people were forced to leave their homes due to flooding, and another 40,000 were stranded in Acapulco when the storm hit. Most of those are tourists, who are waiting for the airlines to give them the OK to leave. Acapulco has reportedly been hit with looters since the flooding, adding more worries to local law enforcement.
The cyclone might weaken over the next day or so, but some areas of Mexico are still forecast to receive 20 inches of rainfall before it moves into a cold front that is expected to hit Texas and the southern U.S. states over the weekend.
A low-pressure front is being tracked now on its way to the Gulf of Mexico, which could become a tropical cyclone in the next couple of days. The news is worrisome to southern and eastern parts of Mexico, as heavy rains would be pushed their way on top of already flooded areas. The National Hurricane Center said that front has a 70% chance of becoming a tropical storm.
Image: National Hurricane Center