Hurricane Grace made landfall Thursday in Mexico, bringing heavy rains and harsh winds to the Yucatan Peninsula as it tore the roofs off some homes, knocked out power to thousands and kept tourists off the region's white sand beaches.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Henri looms out in the Atlantic, threatening the Northeast coast by the weekend or early next week.
With winds up to 80 mph, the Category 1 Hurricane Grace came ashore around 4:45 a.m. local time south of Tulum, Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said. Grace had strengthened to hurricane status over the past day after it soaked several Caribbean islands earlier in the week.
The National Hurricane Center said Grace’s winds were back up to 70 mph early Friday and were expected to soon regain hurricane force. It was centered about 310 miles east of Tuxpan and was heading west at 16 mph .
"After final landfall in mainland Mexico, Grace should quickly weaken and dissipate over the mountains of Mexico by 72 hours, if not sooner," the hurricane center said.
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In Quintana Roo, shelters were open and some hotels evacuated ahead of the storm's arrival. Some airlines cancelled flights, and authorities had ordered all businesses closed and people inside by 8 p.m. Wednesday near Playa del Carmen, a typically lively coastal town.
Quintana Roo Gov. Carlos Joaquín said the storm had knocked out power to some 84,000 customers in Cancun and 65,000 in Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Puerto Aventura and Tulum.
Around 2 a.m. Thursday, as Grace’s eye churned just offshore, Carlos González of Tulum grabbed his 1 1/2-year-old son and ran from his home with his wife to a public school converted into a shelter for dozens of families. The light from his cell phone helped them find their way through the dark streets.
“The only thing I have left is what I’m wearing,” the 35-year-old construction worker said. “I knew my house wasn’t going to stand it because it’s made of cardboard. When the wind came I was really scared and decided to leave.”
Up to a foot of rain could fall on the Yucatan Peninsula, causing severe flash flooding, through Friday. In central Mexico, rainfall totals could reach 15 inches in some areas, likely causing flash flooding and mudslides, the National Hurricane Center said.
Up to 5 feet of storm surge is also possible in areas where Grace made landfall and was forecast to make landfall, forecasters said, adding, "Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves."
In Haiti, Grace had already dumped heavy rain as the country was still reeling from the effects of a massive earthquake over the weekend. Scores of people waiting in line for hospital treatment from quake-related injuries were soaked by the storm.
The effects of Grace were also felt in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.
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Once it passes through Mexico over the weekend, Grace could redevelop in the Pacific Ocean, but it was too soon to know much about that possibility, the National Hurricane Center said.
Meanwhile, forecasters said Henri will likely strengthen into a hurricane in the Atlantic as it approaches southern New England early next week, with the first coastal impacts possible on Sunday.
"Interests in the northeastern U.S. and Atlantic Canada should monitor the progress of Henri," the National Hurricane Center warned as Henri's forecast track shifted closer to the coastline.
"The risks of storm surge, wind, and rain impacts in portions of southern New England and eastern Long Island are increasing," the hurricane center said.
While it's currently far off from the U.S. coast, Henri "could approach southeastern New England on Sunday," forecasters said. The storm was about 800 miles south of Nantucket, Mass., as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
"The biggest point here is that it's still too soon to know exactly how close Henri's center will get to the coast of New England," the National Hurricane Center said.
Thursday, much of New England and New York continued to feel the effects of the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred, which prompted flood and tornado warnings. Fred brought a deluge to the South, causing severe flooding, especially in western North Carolina.
Contributing: The Associated Press; Doyle Rice, USA TODAY
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