Arlene approaches eastern coast of Mexico

Hurricane warnings were posted for the coast of eastern Mexico as Tropical Storm Arlene gained approached the coast, forecasters said. At 11 p.m. EDT Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm was about 125 miles east-southeast of Tampico, Mexico, moving toward the west at 6 mph with top sustained winds of 60 mph. The storm was expected to continue in the same general motion and some strengthening was forecast, with the possibility the storm could reach hurricane strength prior to making landfall Thursday morning. Tropical storm force winds extended outward as much as 140 miles from the center of the storm. Mexico replaced a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch with a hurricane warning from Barra de Nautla northward along the northeast coast to La Cruz. A tropical storm warning was in effect for the eastern coast of Mexico from Palma Sola north to La Pesca. The storm was expected to produce between 4-8 inches of rain over the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and eastern San Luis Potosi, with isolated amounts of up to 15 inches of rain in the mountains, forecasters said. A storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 1-2 feet above normal tide levels in and near the area where Arlene makes landfall.