Mexico braces for Ernesto landfall

Tropical Storm Ernesto was expected to make landfall in Mexico Thursday, bringing heavy rains and strong winds to the Bay of Campeche, forecasters said. A hurricane warning was in effect from Veracruz to Chilitepec, and a hurricane watch was in effect for the area north of Veracruz to Barra de Nautla, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 5 a.m. EDT advisory. A tropical storm warning was posted for north of Veracruz to Barra de Nautla and east of Chilitepec to Campeche along the Gulf of Mexico coast to the Yucatan Peninsula. Ernesto, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, was about 65 miles northeast of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, heading west at 16 mph. On its forecast track, Ernesto's center will cross the extreme southern Bay of Campeche and make landfall in the hurricane warning area later Thursday morning, the National Hurricane Center said. Ernesto is forecast to return to hurricane strength before making landfall. Once the storm's eye moves over land, some weakening is expected. Tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 140 miles from the center, the NHC said. Ernesto is expected to produce rainfall of between 5-10 inches in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Tabasco, Puebla and Oaxaca through Friday. Lesser amounts of rain were forecast for northern Guatemala and the southwestern Yucatan Peninsula Thursday morning. A storm surge, with dangerous waves 1-3 feet above normal tide levels, was likely along the Gulf of Mexico in the warning area.