Oct. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Hurricane Norbert weakened as it made its way across the Pacific Ocean toward Mexico's Baja California today, while Tropical Storm Odile strengthened farther south, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Norbert's maximum sustained winds fell to 150 kilometers (90 miles) per hour from 185 kph earlier today, making it a Category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane strength, according to the center's advisory released shortly before 2 p.m. Los Angeles time.

The system was 600 kilometers south-southwest of the tip of the Baja California peninsula, home to the resorts of Cabo San Lucas. It was moving northwest at 11 kph. Norbert is forecast to turn north-northeast tomorrow, hitting near the town of El Medano early on Oct. 11 and mainland Mexico later that day.

``Norbert continues to weaken as it moves closer to Baja California,'' the advisory said. ``Additional weakening is expected during the next 48 hours.''

The hurricane may become a tropical storm by the time it reaches the mainland, where it is expected to dissipate quickly over the mountains, the center said.

In the resort of San Jose del Cabo, it was business as usual.

``It is still pretty far away from Cabo,'' said Jesus Garibaldi, front desk manager at the Cabo Surf Hotel. ``We will definitely get some rain, some wind; who knows, it's nature.''

Surfers' Delight

Garibaldi said the 22-room hotel caters to surfers from Southern California. Many are hoping large waves will arrive before the storm makes landfall north of Cabo San Lucas.

``It is still sunny here and hot as usual,'' Garibaldi said by telephone. ``People are surfing.''

Trailing behind Norbert along the Mexican coast is Odile, which strengthened today.

Odile has maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and is located about 295 kilometers south-southeast of Puerto Angel, said the advisory released shortly before 2 p.m. Los Angeles time.

``Some additional strengthening is forecast during the next day or so,'' the advisory said. ``On the forecast track the center should move parallel to, but offshore of, the Pacific coast of Mexico.'' The system was moving west-northwest at almost 19 kph, forecasters said.

Odile may produce as much as 20 centimeters (8 inches) of rain in parts of El Salvador, southern Guatemala and Mexico's far southeastern Pacific coast, with as much as 38 centimeters over mountainous terrain, the hurricane center said.

The Saffir-Simpson scale puts hurricanes into five categories based on sustained wind speeds. A Category 1 storm has winds of 119-153 kph.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian K. Sullivan in Boston at bsullivan10@bloomberg.net; Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: October 9, 2008 17:13 EDT