Kenneth downgraded to tropical storm

Hurricane Kenneth diminished to tropical storm status Wednesday afternoon over the Pacific Ocean, U.S. forecasters said. Kenneth had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, as it churned about 880 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 4 p.m. EST advisory. The storm was heading west-northwest at 12 mph with tropical force-strength winds extending outward as much as 80 miles from its center, forecasters said. No coastal watches or warning were in effect. The late-season storm was expected keep weakening and turn toward the west Thursday night or Friday morning, when it is expected to weaken to a tropical depression, meteorologists said.