Tropical Storm Karl Hits Mexico; 2 Others Loom
Updated 6:34 p.m. ET
Weather forecasters say Tropical Storm Karl has weakened as it continues to move inland over Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. It was packing winds of about 65 miles an hour when it made landfall early today, but at last report its winds had declined to about 45 miles an hour.
The storm hit about midway between the cruise ship port of Majahual and the coastal town of Xcalak.
Karl brought heavy rains, forcing security forces to take some people from coastal towns to shelters.
Karl is predicted to weaken into a tropical depression before heading out over the Gulf of Mexico, where it's expected to build into a hurricane by the end of the week.
Violeta Pineda, who has operated thatch-roof bungalows known as the Hotel Kabah Na for 13 years, said waves were rolling about 25 yards onto the beach and eating away at a stretch of road that runs along the coast.
"There is a lot of wind," said Pineda, whose hotel is about 5 miles south of Majahual.
Electricity went out briefly around Majahual. But the town took an almost-direct hit from Category 5 Hurricane Dean in 2007 - the third most powerful Atlantic hurricane ever to hit land - and "this is nothing in comparison," said Pineda.
Karl's center passed just a few miles from the state capital with winds of 60 mph.
It was expected to quickly weaken into a tropical depression as it slogs across the flat peninsula before heading back out over the Gulf of Mexico. Once in the Gulf, it is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by the end of the week and threaten the central Mexican coast.
Authorities on the Yucatan warned of heavy rains but said they saw no need yet for evacuations. The storm threw doubt over the area's celebration of Mexico's bicentennial anniversary of independence from Spain, although there was no immediate decision to cancel festivities.
But Mexico issued a tropical storm watch for the west coast of the Yucatan peninsula - where the storm is expected to re-enter the Gulf - from Ciudad del Carmen north to Celestun.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Hurricane Julia has weakened to a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of nearly 125 miles an hour.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Hurricane Igor has lost some steam, but is still packing winds of up to 135 miles an hour. It could hit Bermuda on Sunday.