MEXICO CITY (AP) — Authorities in Mexico's resort-studded Los Cabos area warned tourists and residents alike to stay inside Friday as Tropical Storm Ileana began to pound the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula with rain.
Ileana formed Thursday off the Pacific coast of Mexico and was lumbering north at 7 mph (11 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. The forecast path would take it over or near the twin resorts of San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.
Ileana was centered about 35 miles (55 kilometers) east-northeast of Cabo San Lucas, the center said in a Friday afternoon advisory. Maximum sustained winds were at 40 mph (65 kph), and Ileana is forecast to move near or over the southern portion of the Baja California peninsula Friday evening and over the southern and central Gulf of California this weekend.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for portions of the Baja California Peninsula, including Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Forecasters predicted 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of rain would fall with Ileana, and up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) was possible for coastal areas of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco states through Friday.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in portions of Baja California Sur during the next several hours where Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect. This heavy rainfall will bring a risk of flash flooding and mudslides to portions of western Mexico and southern Baja California.
Juan Manuel Arce Ortega, from Los Cabos Civil Protection, said, "The entire municipalities of La Paz and Los Cabos are already on red alert. This means that efforts are already underway to inform the population, as well as the implementation (of measures) and evacuation to temporary shelters.”
They also urged residents to avoid crossing rivers, streams, and low areas where they can be swept away by water.
All schools in Los Cabos were also suspended Friday due to the storm.
Óscar Cruces Rodríguez of Mexico’s federal Civil Protection said in a statement that residents should avoid leaving their homes until the storm passes and if residents are in an area at risk of flooding to find temporary shelters.
Authorities prepared 20 temporary shelters in San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, according to Los Cabos Civil Protection.
At the Hacienda Beach Club and Residences in Cabo San Lucas, valet worker Alan Galvan said the rain arrived late Thursday night and has been constant. “The rain isn't very strong right now, but the waves are choppy," he said.
“The guests are very calm and already came down for coffee,” Galvan said. “There's some flights canceled but everything is ok at the moment.” Galvan said they are awaiting further advisories from authorities.
Rain remained consistent through Los Cabos Friday afternoon, with several roads flooded and some resorts stacking up sandbags on their perimeters. Some people were still walking around boat docks with their umbrellas.
“The priority has to be safety, starting with the workers. We always have to check on our colleagues who live in risk areas,” said Lyzzette Liceaga, a tour operator at Los Cabos.
We give them the information shared by the authorities — firefighters in risk areas — so that they can go to the shelters if necessary,” she added.
Hotels stand along the shore before the arrival of Tropical Storm Ileana in San Jose de los Cabos, Mexico, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Figaredo)
This satellite image taken at 12:40 pm ET on Sept. 13, 2024, provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows Tropical Storm Ileana at Mexico's southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. (NOAA via AP)
SELVA DI VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) — Marco Odermatt finally conquered the Saslong and the Swiss standout did it in style.
Odermatt put down what he called “one of my best” downhill runs on Saturday to win a World Cup race in Val Gardena as the three-time overall World Cup champion looked like back to his imperious best.
The 27-year-old beat Swiss teammate Franjo von Allmen by 0.45 seconds for his first victory at the resort in the Italian Dolomites. Odermatt had had four podium finishes there — including in Saturday’s super-G — but had never been better than second.
It was Odermatt’s 40th World Cup victory but only his third in downhill.
"It was one of my best downhills," Odermatt said. “If you want to win the downhill, you need the perfect run and today already on the top, which is not really my section, I could ski very well and finally I also jumped well, and then it was really perfect. So yeah, very happy with the run.”
It had also been a less than stellar start to the season for Odermatt — by his lofty standards — and he yelled out in joy several times after crossing the line, before taking off his skis and raising them up and letting out another long shout.
Before Odermatt came down it had been an incredibly tight race, with the top three separated by just 0.02. In the end, American skier Ryan Cochran-Siegle finished third, with Nils Allègre of France missing out on what would have been only his second ever podium finish by one hundredth of a second.
It was Cochrane-Siegle's third podium after also finishing third in Val Gardena four years ago and winning the super-G in Bormio 10 days later.
“It was good skiing, it was fun,” he said. “Gardena is a really challenging hill to ski, in the sense of skiing fast. I’ve had runs here where I thought I’d put down a good one, and it’s been seconds out, so you really never know until you cross the finish line.
"I was just focusing on trying to carry speed as much as possible. When I ski my best I do that — keeping skiing really simple, back to basics.”
Odermatt won the downhill World Cup title last season, as well as the super-G, giant slalom and overall crystal globes.
The only previous downhill this season was in Beaver Creek, where Odermatt finished second to teammate Justin Murisier.
Odermatt moved 78 points above Murisier in the downhill standings and 50 points above Henrik Kristoffersen in the overall.
The circuit moves to nearby Alta Badia where there is a giant slalom on Sunday and a slalom the following day.
Meanwhile, Lindsey Vonn finished 14th in a super-G in St. Moritz, Switzerland to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40. Her comeback continues in a super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday.
United States' Ryan Cochran Siegle speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
United States' Ryan Cochran Siegle celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebratesat the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
