Weakened Priscilla nears Mexico's Baja peninsula as Tropical Storm Jerry churns in the Atlantic

Priscilla lost its hurricane status Wednesday as it churned up Mexico’s western Pacific coast while Tropical Storm Jerry strengthened in the Atlantic.

MIAMI — Priscilla lost its hurricane status Wednesday as it churned up Mexico’s western Pacific coast while Tropical Storm Jerry strengthened in the Atlantic on its approach to the Leeward Islands, forecasters said.

Priscilla approached major hurricane status Tuesday before weakening to a tropical storm a day later with maximum sustained winds of about 60 mph, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

The storm was bringing high surf and gusty winds to Baja California Sur, which was under a tropical storm watch from Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lazaro. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding were possible as the storm moves along Mexico’s Pacific coast and through the weekend in the Southwestern United States, forecasters said.

Nor'easter to bring heavy rain, high winds, floods to East Coast01:09The storm was moving northwest at 9 mph. It was centered about 235 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California, forecasters said. The hurricane center said the flood risk was increasing from all the rain Priscilla was dropping as it headed farther north.

In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Jerry had top winds of 65 mph. It was centered about 505 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands while moving west-northwest at 18 mph.