**Wednesday night update (8:50 p.m.): Manuel achieved hurricane strength Wednesday afternoon but its projected path is now eastward onto mainland Mexico, where it will quickly lose strength. It is no longer expected to reach Baja. Sadly, it's now being reported that 58 people are missing in the Guerrero village of La Pintada, far to the south of Manuel's current position, due to mudslides caused by Manuel. The death toll from Manuel and tropical storm Ingrid, which earlier this week slammed Mexico's eastern and western coasts, has increased to at least 80.
Tropical storm Manuel, which is situated just off Mexico's mainland in the Sea of Cortez, has gained strength and will take aim toward Baja California's eastern shore.
Portions of the mainland are under either a hurricane watch–from La Cruz and Topolobampo–or tropical storm warning. A tropical storm watch has been issued from Cabo San Lucas, at Baja's tip, to an area just north of La Paz.
An area between La Paz and the East Cape region, immediately to the south, is dotted with small fishing resorts and fleet owners have been busy moving boats into harbors or towing them onto shore.
However, several vessels remained moored and exposed at the time of this post.
We contacted Mark Rayor, owner of Jen Wren Sportfishing in the East Cape town of Buena Vista, and at 10 a.m. he reported sunshine, after periods of heavy rain, and large surf but very little wind.
Jonathan Roldan, who owns the Tailhunter International charter business in La Paz, said conditions were "sunny and flat-calm."That appears to be the calm before the storm, however.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued an 11 a.m. update stating that between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., maximum gusts had nearly doubled to about 60 mph. Clearly, Manuel is feeding off warm gulf waters.
The storm is expected to plot a course toward La Paz Bay but won't arrive until at least Saturday. Folks in the Baja California capital of La Paz, and the East Cape, are hoping that Manuel will veer more to the sparsely-populated north before making landfall.
Once the storm makes landfall it'll quickly weaken, but lots of rain and wind is expected throughout the region.
Manuel will not soon be forgotten. It's the same deadly storm that slammed Acapulco on Sunday.
–Pete Thomas
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