MEXICO CITY (AP) — A potential tropical storm was heading for the U.S.-Mexico border area Saturday and could cause rains and flash flooding in northeastern Mexico and south Texas.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said that potential Tropical Cyclone Four was located about 165 miles (270 kilometers) south-southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande, known as the Rio Bravo in Mexico.
That area includes the Mexican border city of Matamoros and Brownsville, Texas.
The disturbance was moving northwest at 13 mph ( 20 kph), and could become a tropical storm before hitting land late Saturday.
The system had winds reaching near 35 mph (55 kph).
Tropical storm warnings have been issued for a stretch of the lower Texas Gulf Coast and part of Mexico’s northeast shoreline.
Mexico’s government issued a tropical storm warning for its Gulf coast from Boca de Catan north to the mouth of the Rio Grande. A tropical storm warning also was in effect for the lower Texas coast from Port Mansfield south to the mouth of the Rio Grande.
Forecasters said the storm could produce total rain of 3 to 6 inches with isolated totals 8 inches along parts of Mexico’s eastern coast.
Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.5 centimeters) with isolated higher amounts were possible across far south Texas, the hurricane center advisory said. It said the rainfall may produce life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.
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