Storm Carlos weakens fast off Mexico, expected to dissipate soon

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Tropical storm Carlos was weakening fast off western Mexico on Wednesday morning as it closed in on the coast from the Pacific, threatening to dump heavy rain on a handful of states, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Carlos was about 10 miles (16 km) south of Playa Perula blowing maximum sustained winds of about 45 miles per hour (72 kph) with higher gusts, and moving north-northwest at around nine miles (14 km) per hour, the Miami-based NHC said. Carlos, which was downgraded from a hurricane overnight, was expected to become a tropical depression by Wednesday night and a remnant low by Thursday morning, the NHC said. It said the storm could produce rain in the states of Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco and Nayarit through Friday. (Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)