Hurricane Manuel lashes Mexico

MIAMI, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Hurricane Manuel was hugging Mexico's Pacific coast Wednesday and lashing the area with torrential rains, U.S. forecasters said.

Manuel was churning along in the Pacific with the northern eyewall near the coast, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 8 p.m. PDT advisory.

The hurricane was about 5 miles west of Altata, Mexico, and 105 miles southeast of Los Mochis, moving north at 3 miles per hour.

Maximum sustained winds were 75 mph with higher gusts.

A hurricane warning was in effect from La Cruz to Topolobampo. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Mazatlan to La Cruz, and a tropical storm watch for Cabo San Lucas to San Evaristo.

Manuel was expected to track north through early Thursday. The center will be near or over the west-central coast of Mexico Wednesday evening.

Hurricane-force winds extended 20 miles from the center, though some strengthening could occur before landfall.

Manuel was expected to produce 5-10 inches of rain over Sinaloa state with localized amounts of up to 15 inches possible, bringing the potential for life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

A storm surge of 2-4 feet also could bring large, destructive waves.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Humberto weakened to a tropical depression as it turned north in the Atlantic Ocean well away from the Azores.

Humberto, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, was about 1,000 miles west-southwest of the Azores, moving north at 9 mph, the hurricane center said in its 11 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time advisory.

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.

Humberto was forecast to turn to the north-northeast with an increase in forward speed Thursday.

The hurricane center said the storm was poorly organized.