Hurricane Grace makes landfall in Mexico

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Hurricane Grace made landfall early Thursday morning just south of Tulum, Mexico.

The Category 1 hurricane brought dangerous storm surge, heavy rainfall and strong winds to the region. 

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Power lines and tree branches were knocked down in Playa del Carmen – just north of Grace's center – and Quintana Roo Gov. Carlos Joaquín reported that approximately 84,000 customers in Cancun and 65,000 in Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Puerto Aventura and Tulum had lost power.

Workers cover shop windows with plywood in Tulum, Quintana Roo State, Mexico, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021.  (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

The National Hurricane Center wrote in a Facebook post that Grace was located inland of Yucatan, around 45 miles south-southeast of Valladolid, Mexico at 7 a.m. CDT. 

The hurricane was moving west near 17 mph and a general westward to west-northwestward motion was forecast through Friday – followed by a general westward to west-southwestward motion.

Grace is expected to shift over the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday and pass the southwest Gulf of Mexico late Thursday night through Friday. 

The Hurricane Center said the storm would likely make a second landfall as a hurricane on the mainland coast of Mexico by late Friday or early Saturday.

Grace was recorded with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 35 miles from its center. 

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Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles. 

Grace is projected to weaken as it crosses Yucatan and re-strengthen when it is centered over the Gulf of Mexico.

A hurricane warning is currently in effect for the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico from Cancun to Punta Herrero, including Cozumel and a tropical storm warning is set for the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico from north of Cancun to Campeche and from south of Punta Herrero to Puerto Costa Maya.

A tourist buys emergency supplies before the arrival of Hurricane Grace, in Tulum, Quintana Roo State, Mexico, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021.  (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Additionally, a hurricane watch is in effect for the coast of mainland Mexico from Puerto Veracruz to Cabo Rojo and a tropical storm watch is in place for the coast of mainland Mexico north of Cabo Rojo to Puerto de Altamira and the southern coast Cuban province of Pinar del Rio and Isla de la Juventud.

Storm surge, flooding and mudslide threats were anticipated in affected areas.

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Hurricane conditions are predicted to continue within the warning area in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and spread inland. 

Tropical storm conditions are also anticipated to spread and are possible along the southern coast of Cuba within the watch area.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.