Pacific moisture brings heavy rain to central US as Hurricane Rachel forms

Moisture from tropical weather systems in the Pacific brought heavy rain to parts of the central United States on Wednesday (30 September), while forecasters tracked a new hurricane off the coast of Mexico.

Hurricane Rachel was expected to strengthen quickly and could become a major hurricane, with sustained winds exceeding 111 mph (178 kph). However, the storm was far offshore and posed no immediate threat to land.

In New Mexico, heavy rain continued to affect areas that had been suffering from months of drought. The rain helped replenish areas where reservoirs had fallen and forced hungry bears to enter neighbourhoods looking for food.

Wednesday (30 September) marked the end of the second-wettest month on record in Albuquerque, according to National Weather Service records dating to the 1800s.

Flood warnings remained in effect in parts of New Mexico despite the storm weakening.

"There's a lot of standing water in the fields and near some homes," National Weather Service meteorologist Greg Lundeen said after water overflowed a small dam in one area.

Flooding also threatened New Mexico's well-known chile crop during the harvest season. The Rio Grande, which had run dry along a long stretch of the state, was also overflowing.

The wet and stormy conditions are consistent with an El Niño weather pattern, which typically brings increased storm activity in the Pacific.

Heavy rain moves east

Up to 2 inches (5 centimetres) of rain fell from Colorado through the Great Plains to Iowa from Tuesday into Wednesday, with some areas receiving more.

More storms were forecast for Texas and Oklahoma. A storm in Amarillo, Texas, flooded streets and produced a tornado Tuesday night, with rainfall totals exceeding 3.5 inches (9 centimetres).

The rain was linked to the remnants of tropical weather systems, including Hurricane Polo, which made landfall Monday night as a Category 3 hurricane on Mexico's Baja California peninsula before moving inland.

In southern New Mexico, continued rain threatened to damage red chile crops as harvesting neared its end.

Preston Mitchell, a member of the Hatch Chile Association board, said prolonged wet conditions could cause mould and disease in the fields.

"There will be nobody picking chile for at least five or six days," Mitchell said. "All these growers whose fields were flooded, everything's toast. Everything that's out there is done."

About 100 people who had taken shelter in Dona Ana County because of possible flooding were expected to return home Wednesday, county officials said.

As the weather improved, water stopped flowing over an earthen flood-control structure in the area, which remained intact.

Acting Gov Howie Morales declared a state of emergency and made $3.75 million available through local governments to provide temporary housing, healthcare, food and transport to affected residents.

Rachel latest storm in busy Pacific season

Mexican authorities remained on alert in Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco states because of Hurricane Rachel.

Schools were closed Wednesday in 30 municipalities in Jalisco as a precaution.

Rachel was located about 200 miles (320 kilometres) west-south-west of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of about 90 mph (150 kph), according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The storm was moving north-west at about 7 mph (11 kph) and was expected to turn west-north-west and then west later this week. It was forecast to move away from mainland Mexico and pass south of the Baja California peninsula.

The hurricane centre said Mexico had lifted all coastal watches and warnings but warned of isolated rainfall totals of up to 12 inches (30 centimetres) and dangerous surf along the coasts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco.

In Jalisco, the bodies of a mother and her two children, aged 3 and 15, were found Sunday after the family went missing when a river flooded in Talpa de Allende. The father remained missing, according to the Jalisco State Civil Protection agency.

A tourist was also reported missing after being swept away by strong waves in Puerto Vallarta. Authorities said that case was not related to Hurricane Polo.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Nolo was producing dangerous conditions in parts of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, a protected marine area in the central Pacific.

Nolo was previously a hurricane and brought heavy rain to parts of Hawaii's Big Island over the weekend. Its maximum sustained winds were around 50 mph (85 kph).