Lane, Kristy still patrolling Pacific

Tropical Storm Lane was getting closer to hurricane strength out in the Pacific Ocean Sunday night, U.S. forecasters said. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 11 p.m. EDT advisory that Lane was puffing out 70 mph winds about 1,170 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. The hurricane center said Lane was expected to reach hurricane strength Monday. The storm was heading to the northwest at 9 mph with tropical storm-force gales reaching out up to 80 miles from its center. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. Meanwhile, Kristy had deteriorated from a tropical storm into a tropical depression about 610 miles west-northwest of the southern tip of Baja California. It's winds were at 35 mph as it headed to the northwest at 7 mph. The storm was expected to turn to the north and east in the next 36 hours, slow its forward speed and gradually weaken into a remnant low Monday morning. Still, Kristy was expected to keep affecting portions of the southern Baja California coast, producing life-threatening surf and rip currents, forecasters said.