Bud weakens on way to Baja

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Bud made a brief run as a powerful Category 4 storm off Mexico’s Pacific coast, but quickly weakened into a tropical storm by Wednesday morning, easing — but not completely ending — the threat to resorts in its path at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Bud’s maximum sustained winds had lessened to 50 mph by midafternoon, down from 130 mph the day before. It was projected to weaken further, but was still expected to be at tropical storm force when it reaches the peninsula late today.

A tropical storm warning was issued for a stretch of coast from Santa Fe to La Paz that includes the twin resort cities of Los Cabos.

Bud was centered about 215 miles south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula’s southern tip and was moving north-northwest at about 6 mph.

The forecast path would carry it near Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, which are popular destinations for international and domestic travelers with millions of visitors each year.

The center said the hurricane could cause dangerous surf along Mexico’s nearby coasts for the next several days. Heavy rainfall also was predicted for southwestern and western Mexico as well as the southern Baja peninsula.