An intensifying Hurricane Grace makes landfall in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula
(CNN) - After striking Haiti and impacting other Caribbean islands this week as a tropical storm, Category 1 Hurricane Grace hit the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico on Thursday morning.
The storm made landfall near Tulum, to the south of Cancun, around 4:45 a.m. CT, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Grace was bringing strong winds and heavy rain to much of the eastern coast of the Yucatan, including Cancun, Cozumel and Punta Herrero, the NHC said.
The area has been under a hurricane warning since Tuesday due to Grace becoming better organized as it moved west, battering Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.
Peak wind gusts measured so far at Playa del Carmen were at 85 mph, with 80 mph winds measured at Cancun. Sustained winds reached up to 75 mph as of 7 a.m. CT, making Grace a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Central and northern portions of the Yucatan Peninsula may get 4 to 12 inches of rain, which could lead to flash and urban flooding, the NHC said wells across the area could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, according to the NHC.
The current track of the storm has it exiting into the Bay of Campeche as a tropical storm after losing some strength over the Yucatan. It is then forecast to regain intensity over open waters and will threaten the Mexican mainland by Friday night into Saturday, potentially again as a Category 1 hurricane.
