Just when you thought hurricane season might be drawing to a close, two more big storms have reared their ugly heads, this time off the west coast of Mexico.

Hurricane Norbert and Tropical Storm Odile are both heading across the Pacific towards the Mexican mainland, with Norbert threatening to strike the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula on Saturday, and Odile expected to make landfall further south a few days later.

Over the last 24 hours Norbert weakened from a category 4 to a category 3 storm with winds up to 115 mph, and is expected to weaken further into a category 2 storm by the time it arrives in Baja.

However, authorities there are still bracing for its impact and have canceled a weekend fishing contest and made two cruise ships change their arrival dates into the port of Los Cabos. Evacuation plans are also being prepared for several towns in the hurricane’s path. The storm is expected to bring a huge surge which may make many coastal roads impassable.

Meanwhile Tropical Storm Odile grew stronger Thursday morning, with maximum sustained winds near 50 mph. Forecasters said it might reach hurricane force by the weekend and will likely hit near the Mexico-Guatemala border. Residents there are being warned that the storm may bring as much as 5 inches of rain.

People with plans to travel to or from either destination in the next few days should check with local authorities to see if travel is advised, and are also advised to check with their airline or cruise line to see if any departures will be delayed or canceled.

Links: Bloomberg, International Herald-Tribune, Los Angeles Times, CBC

By Karen Elowitt for PeterGreenberg.com.

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