Skip to main content

Karl weakens in Mexico; Bermuda mobilizes for Igor

By the CNN Wire Staff
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: Karl is downgraded to a tropical storm
  • Storm system brewing off Cape Verde Islands
  • Bermuda taking Igor seriously; warning issued

Miami, Florida (CNN) -- What was Hurricane Karl was losing its punch in Mexico Friday, while Category 2 Hurricane Igor turned toward Bermuda, which is bracing for landfall late Sunday.

A third hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean, Julia, continued to sputter, forecasters said.

Karl's eye came ashore just north of the city of Veracruz, Mexico, around 11:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. ET) Friday. Karl was gradually downgraded to a tropical storm, with 70 mph (115 kph) winds at 8 p.m. ET, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

The storm's biggest threat may come from torrential rainfall. Some areas may receive between 5 to 10 inches, with isolated amounts of 15 inches possible.

At least 3,000 homes in central Mexico were damaged when Karl came ashore, the state-run Notimex news agency reported.

The Hurricane Center said the storm is expected to weaken to a tropical depression soon and dissipate over the mountains of Mexico on Sunday. Some local flooding was reported, the Mexican Interior Ministry said.

The Mexican government canceled all coastal warnings and watches.

Video: Hurricane video from space
Video: Tracking Igor from space
RELATED TOPICS

Meanwhile, the two other hurricanes in the tropical trio churned in the open Atlantic Ocean. A storm system south of the Cape Verde Islands has a 10 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone, forecasters said.

At 8 p.m. (7 p.m. ET), Hurricane Igor, downgraded to Category 2, had maximum sustained winds near 105 mph (165 kph). It was moving toward the northwest at 10 mph (17 kph), but forecasters said its forward speed and strength are expected to increase in the next couple of days, followed by gradual weakening.

Igor was about 600 miles (965 kilometers) south-southeast of Bermuda. A hurricane warning was in effect for the island, which was already feeling effects from the storm, the Hurricane Center said.

The United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office called Igor a "dangerous" storm and said Bermudan authorities are making appropriate plans for its arrival late Sunday or early Monday. British nationals are getting updated travel advice.

Home Affairs Minister David Burch warned island residents to be ready for storm surge and high winds.

"It is my sincere hope that you and your families take the remainder of today to finalize your hurricane preparations, by securing your homes, your property and ensuring that you have adequate supplies," he said.

Officials expect to close the main airport Saturday. A British frigate will be stationed offshore, ready to offer any assistance.

Large swells generated by Igor will continue to affect the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands, according to the weather agency. These swells are expected to cause dangerous surf- and rip-current conditions in Bermuda over the next several days.

The swells will reach the eastern coast of the United States, including Florida, on Friday and continue through the weekend, possibly causing rip currents.

In the far eastern Atlantic, Category 1 Hurricane Julia continued to weaken.

As of 5 p.m. (4 p.m. ET), Julia's maximum sustained winds were 75 mph (120 kph). The storm was moving west-northwest at about 18 mph (30 kph). The storm's center was about 1,525 miles (2,450 kilometers) southwest of the Azores Islands.