Tropical Storm Sonia weakens to depression over Mexico

(UPI) -- The storm-battered western coast of Mexico may have avoided the worst as Tropical Storm Sonia weakened to a tropical depression as it dissipated over land Monday morning.

Mexican officials canceled coastal warnings early Monday morning as the storm made landfall near El Dorado, at the southern end of the Gulf of California, moving northeast across the country and into Texas. Maximum wind speeds dropped to 25 mph and rainfall continues to diminish.

The storm's weakening came as a great relief to a region hard hit by severe weather this summer and fall.

The worst, in September, Hurricane Manuel traveled up the Pacific coast from south of Acapulco, making landfall first at Manzanillo then again at Culiacán, killing 169 people in mudslides and flooding.

In preparation for Sonia, schools in five municipalities were canceled and shelters were opened, but no forced evacuations were put in place.