Tech: Nate is downgraded to a tropical depression after making US landfall twice

Hurricane Nate killed at least 22 people across Central America. It became a Category 1 storm late Friday night.

• Nate was downgraded to a tropical depression after twice making US landfall.
• Nate strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane on Friday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.
• The storm has killed at least 22 people in Central America.
• All coastal watches and warnings have been discontinued.

Nate was downgraded Sunday afternoon to a tropical depression with maximum sustained speeds of 35 mph, less than two days after becoming a Category 1 hurricane. The storm was expected to soak the deep south with heavy rainfall as it moves inland across the Tennesse Valley and Central Applachian Mountains, according to the National Hurricane Center's 10 a.m. CDT update.

All coastal watches and warnings have been discontinued, but Nate was expected to turn toward the northeast in the next couple of days, the National Hurricane Center said, and could gain speed in the interim.

Nate has already been blamed for at least 22 deaths across Nicaragua and Costa Rica, The Associated Press reported, and it's causing dangerous flooding and landslides.

The storm has been getting stronger and becoming more well-organized on satellite images.

The NHC's latest forecast suggests Nate will skim the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula Friday night, then make landfall somewhere near New Orleans late Saturday night or Sunday. Hurricane and storm surge warnings have been issued for the US Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Nate killed at least 22 people across Central America. It became a Category 1 storm late Friday night. Read Full Story