Hurricane Norbert Weakens Slightly; Odile Grows

MEXICO CITY - Hurricane Norbert weakened to Category 1 storm Thursday as it headed toward Mexico's southern Baja California peninsula but was still expected to be a hurricane when it hits land over the weekend.

Mexico issued a hurricane watch for the southern half of the peninsula, including Cabo San Lucas. The watch meant hurricane conditions were possible within 36 hours.

Norbert's winds have decreased to 90 mph (150 kph) after briefly hitting Category 4 force at 135 mph (215 kph) on Wednesday night, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. Forecasters said it remains a dangerous storm.

In the state of Baja California Sur, authorities canceled a weekend fishing contest in the coastal town of Todos Santos and changed the arrival dates in Los Cabos of two cruise ships.

Los Cabos Mayor Oscar Nunez late Wednesday urged residents living in makeshift housing and in low-lying areas to prepare to evacuate.

Luis Gonzalez, the state's top civil protection official, said brigades are ready to begin evacuating residents of the towns of Agua Escondida, El Cardonal and Marquez de Leon on Norbert's potential path.

As of Friday 2 a.m. EDT, Norbert was located 330 miles (530 kilometers) south-southwest of the southern tip of the peninsula and was moving northwest at 7 mph (11 kph). On that track, it was expected to hit land Saturday.

Tropical Storm Odile, meanwhile, grew a little stronger Thursday morning, with maximum sustained winds near 50 mph (85 kph). Forecasters said it might reach hurricane force by the weekend.

It was centered about 130 miles (210 kilometers) southeast of Puerto Angel and was projected to head northwest, parallel to Mexico's Pacific coast but offshore.

Mexico issued a tropical storm watch for the Pacific coast from Punta Maldonado to Zihuatanejo, a stretch that includes the resort city of Acapulco.