Earl downgraded to tropical storm

Associated Press

BELMOPAN, Belize

Hurricane Earl deteriorated to a weak tropical storm Thursday as it passed over northern Guatemala en route to southern Mexico.

Overnight, Earl slammed into the coast of the Caribbean nation of Belize with winds of 80 mph, leaving the country battered.

Earl made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Belize City and was moving roughly westward, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. As it crossed northern Guatemala, Earl had sustained winds near 45 mph. It was expected to continue weakening to a tropical depression by Thursday night or this morning.

The National Hurricane Center forecast that the storm would leave 8 to 12 inches of rain over parts of Belize, Guatemala and southern Mexico. Isolated areas could receive as much as 18 inches, causing flooding and mudslides.