Mexico has dropped a hurricane warning for the country's eastern coast as Tropical Storm Arlene churned toward land, UPI quoted the U.S. National Hurricane Center as saying. Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for Las Cruz north to La Pesca but have been canceled for Palma Sola south to Veracruz, the Miami-based center said in its 11 a.m. EDT advisory. The storm was about 45 miles north/northwest of Tuxpan and 45 miles southeast of Tampico, heading west at about 7 mph and expected to move inland over mainland Mexico Thursday, the center said. Arlene's sustained winds were 65 mph and expected to weaken through the day and dissipate over the mountains of central Mexico Friday, forecasters said. Arlene was expected to produce between 4 to 8 inches of rain over eastern and northeastern Mexico, with up to 15 inches in isolated instances possible in the mountains, forecasters said. Flash floods and mud slides were possible. A storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 1- to 3 feet above normal tide levels along the coast near and north of Cabo Rojo, forecasters said.
