"Ernesto Strengthens, Takes Aim at Mexico's Yucatan"

"Tropical Storm Ernesto picked up speed in the western Caribbean on Monday as it moved toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, dousing Honduras and Belize on its way."

"U.S. forecasters said Ernesto had top sustained winds of 65 miles per hour on Monday afternoon and could cross the 74 mph threshold to become a hurricane by Tuesday morning.

Hurricane warnings were issued for part of the Yucatan's east coast and the entire coast of Belize. Tropical storm watches and warnings were in effect for other parts of the Yucatan, Honduras and the Bay Islands."

Gustavo Palencia, Mike McDonald, David Alire Garcia, Jane Sutton, David Adams, and Michael Connor report for Reuters August 7, 2012.