Oct. 1 (UPI) — Though Hurricane Rosa diminished to a tropical storm over the weekend, forecasters said Monday it will bring flooding rains to Mexico and the U.S. Southwest.
Heavy rain is expected Monday and Tuesday across Arizona, Southern California, southern and eastern Nevada and Utah. Parts of Colorado and northwestern New Mexico could also be affected. Floodwaters closed sections of Highway 95 in San Bernardino County, Calif., on Sunday
The storm moved northward over the weekend and its center is projected to reach Baja California Monday. It will then track across the peninsula and drench the deserts of the Southwest, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, with tropical-force winds extending about 150 miles from its center.
Baja California and Sonora, Mexico, should expect 3-6 inches of rain, with 10 inches in some places, the NHC warned. Isolated areas in Arizona could receive 6 inches before the storm disperses.
Over 40 percent of Arizona is in extreme drought conditions.
Another storm, Tropical Storm Sergio, is about 790 miles south of the tip of the Baja Peninsula and slowly moving west across the Pacific Ocean. Forecasters said winds extend 125 miles from its center. It’s expected to become a hurricane later Monday and a major hurricane by early Wednesday.
