Tropical Storm Vance, which was a strong Category Two hurricane just yesterday, is rapidly weakening in the Eastern Pacific and was downgraded to tropical storm status on Tuesday.

According to the most recent public advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) at 7:00 p.m. PST on Tuesday, though Vance continues to weaken the storm is causing heavy rainfall to spread across Mexico. The Mexican government has issued a tropical storm warning as Vance approaches and that warning is currently in effect for Mazatlan, Mexico and all areas northward to Topolobampo, Mexico.

A tropical storm watch is issued when it's expected that tropical storm conditions will be possible within the affected area in the near future -- in this case over the next 12 -- 18 hours. However, aside from just the places within the tropical storm warning area, other interests in southwestern Mexico are urged to monitor the progress of Vance as the system makes its way toward land.

As of Tuesday evening, Vance was reportedly located near latitude 21.5 north and longitude 108.0 west. Specifically, the storm is currently measured to be 115 miles southwest of Mazatlan, Mexico.

According to the NHC advisory, maximum sustained winds caused by Vance are currently being measured at around 50 miles per hour with higher gusts being recorded. Tropical storm-force winds are extending outwards up to 90 miles from the eye of the storm. Rapid weakening of the system is expected to occur over the next 24 hours and Vance could be downgraded to a tropical depression by the time it makes landfall.

Vance is now moving toward the north-northeast at around 15 miles per hour and is expected to continue on this trajectory until the storm makes landfall tomorrow. Looking forward, the center of this tropical system is forecast to move near or over the western coast of Mexico, most likely in the tropical storm watch area, at some point during the day on Wednesday.

In terms of hazards related to the storm that residents and visitors in the storm-affected areas with be dealing with, the problems are two-fold.

Currently the most pressing hazard is related to stormy surf. Ocean swells generated by Vance are already affecting parts of the coast of southwestern Mexico and Baja California Sur and will continue to do so throughout the night and over the coming days.

These ocean swells are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents, so swimmers and surfers are advised to maintain high caution should they decide to enter the water at any time in the near future. Local weather experts will also be broadcasting more detailed reports of the surf-related dangers.

The second hazard to disturb interests in the areas of Mexico affected by Tropical Storm Vance is inundating rainfall. As Vance moves closer to land, the moisture from the storm and additional moisture moving ahead of the storm system will likely produce rainfall amounts ranging from four-to-eight inches with isolated amounts of up to 12 inches through Wednesday.

These rains are expected to fall mainly over the Mexican states of Sinaloa, Nayarit and Durango. Weather experts expect these rains to produce possibly life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, particularly in areas where the terrain is mostly mountainous.

Stay tuned to LatinPost.com for the most recent updates on this storm, which will be published as soon as any new information is made available from the weather experts monitoring the system.

For the latest news & updates, follow reporter Bary Alyssa Johnson on Twitter: @MissBary