Storms threaten Cabos and U.S. East Coast

MEXICO CITY — Hurricane season roared on as Jose threatened heavy surf along the U.S. East Coast on Saturday, Tropical Storm Norma neared Mexico’s resortstudded Baja California Peninsula, and Tropical Storm Maria formed in the Atlantic Ocean and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane, taking aim at some already-battered Caribbean islands.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lee formed in the Atlantic and Tropical Storm Otis in the Pacific. Neither threatened land.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula due to Norma, which weakened into a tropical storm on Saturday, with maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometres an hour, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Norma was 335 kilometres south of Cabo San Lucas, with forecasters saying it could approach waters southwest of the peninsula late today or early Monday.

The peninsular region that’s home to the twin resort cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo was hit about two weeks ago by Tropical Storm Lidia, which flooded streets and homes and killed at least four people.

The Baja California Sur government readied storm shelters and cancelled classes for Monday as well as a planned military parade in the state capital, La Paz, amid Mexican Independence Day celebrations.

In the Atlantic, Hurricane Jose was moving slowly but far from land, generating powerful swells that were affecting coastal areas in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and the U.S. southeast.