Third hurricane looms for Mexican peninsula

SAN JOSE DEL CABO, Mexico – Hurricane Paul swirled toward the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula Monday, becoming the third hurricane this season to threaten the resort region popular with Hollywood’s elite.

Emergency workers were standing by to evacuate thousands in the town of San Jose Del Cabo. Francisco Cota, civil defense director for Los Cabos, said 2,000 to 3,000 families could be evacuated from flood-risk areas to 49 temporary shelters, mostly schools.

Paul had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and was moving north at about 7 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Paul’s winds weakened from 105 mph earlier, and the storm was downgraded to Category 1, the center said.

Forecasters predicted it could hit Mexico’s Pacific coast by Wednesday.

A hurricane watch was issued for the tip of Baja California, which has been battered by two other hurricanes this season. The storm was on a course that would bring it just south of the peninsula late Tuesday before plowing into Mexico’s Pacific coast near the resort of Mazatlan. Late Monday night, the storm was about 385 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas.

A light rain fell in Cabo San Lucas as employees at the upscale Hotel Finisterra passed out the latest weather report to keep guests updated on the storm. They also were scrambling to organize indoor activities.

“We want to make sure we have entertainment for people during the storm to keep people tranquil and safe and provided with food and entertainment: movies, board games, interactive games with staff like bingo,” said Patricia Garcia, concierge at Hotel Finisterra.

Marjorie Sippola, 37, a tourist from Granite Bay, California, said she was not worried about the hurricane.

“I’m going to drink tequila, raid the mini bar and watch the storm from my beachfront casita,” Sippola said.

Steve Clay, 40, a native of San Clemente, California who lives on the peninsula, said he also was not concerned, after having survived a recent hurricane.

“I didn’t feel any fear,” Clay said of the previous storm. “Actually it was a lot of fun, although I got a little wet.”