TS Georgette hits Mexico

MIAMI, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Lisa was firming up in the eastern Atlantic Tuesday evening while a tropical depression moved over Baja California, U.S. forecasters said.

The tropical depression, dubbed Georgette, had weakened from a tropical storm over southern Baja California on the Pacific side of Mexico, the hurricane center said in its 8 p.m. PDT advisory.

Still, Georgette was forecast to drop 4-6 inches of rain over the southern Baja peninsula and the Mexican states of Sinaloa and Western Sonora. Some areas could get up to 10 inches.

"These rainfall amounts may produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," the hurricane center warned.

Georgette had sustained winds of 35 mph, weak enough so the Mexican government discontinued its tropical storm warnings, but a tropical storm watch was in effect for mainland Mexico from Huatabampito northward to Bahia Kino.

The storm was moving to the north at about 10 mph and was cross the Gulf of California Wednesday and make landfall on mainland Mexico later in the day before dissipating.

Lisa, the 12th named storm of the hurricane season, had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 5 p.m. EDT advisory.

The storm was moving to the north at a sluggish 2 mph about 525 miles west-northwest of the Cape Verde Islands. Tropical storm force winds were reaching out up to 40 miles from its center.

Because it was so far out to sea, there were no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Lisa was expected gain some strength as it turns to the north-northwest late Wednesday and then to the west-northwest Thursday when it could become a hurricane.