Ernesto's second landfall in Mexico nears

Tropical Storm Ernesto hovered near the southern Mexican coast Thursday with drenching rains and strong winds around the Bay of Campeche, forecasters said. Various watches had been dropped and only a tropical storm warning remained in effect for Veracruz to Chilitepec, the U.S. National Hurricane Center reported at 2 p.m. Ernesto had sustained winds of 60 mph with higher gusts and was almost stalled about 5 miles north of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, travelling at 5 mph to the west, the center said. "A general slow motion toward the west or west-southwest is expected during the next day or two," forecasters said. Well below the 74 mph hurricane threshold, Ernesto was expected to weaken once its mass is over land, the report said. Tropical storm-force winds extend 140 miles from the center, the NHC said. Ernesto is expected to produce rainfall of 5-10 inches in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Tabasco, Puebla and Oaxaca through Friday. Lesser amounts of rain were forecast for northern Guatemala and the southwestern Yucatan Peninsula Thursday. A storm surge, with dangerous waves 1-3 feet above normal tide levels, was likely along the Gulf of Mexico in the warning area. Ernesto made its first of two landfalls Tuesday night as a Category 1 hurricane on the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula before advancing across southern Mexico.