The fishermen were the only casualties of the category 1 hurricane, which is now weakening rapidly over northern Sonora, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said at 9:00am MDT, although tropical storm conditions are forecast through this afternoon.
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The category 1 hurricane registered wind speeds of 150 kilometers per hour (90 miles per hour) while approaching the US state of California on Wednesday morning.
At last check the storm was near Bahia Kino, Mexico, and forecasters say its speed, at 17 miles per hour, will take it into southeastern Arizona this afternoon, also dumping potentially risky rains on New Mexico. Newton could even reach the USA border at Arizona as a tropical storm, according to the latest forecasts.
Hurricane Newton made landfall on Mexico’s western coast Tuesday morning, dumping heavy rain and killing at least two people, officials said. The storm came ashore near Mexico’s Los Cabos resorts Tuesday morning as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 90 miles per hour.
Two people have died and three are missing after a prawning boat capsized in strong waves caused by Hurricane Newton in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.
Forecasters continued to issue watches and advisories for areas in Newton’s path that are expected to see heavy rains in the coming days.
As the tropical storm weakens over land, it’ll still drop substantial amounts of rain across Arizona and New Mexico, which will lead to flooding.
Newton is expected to generate up to 3 inches of rain in the central part of the Baja California peninsula.
Roberto Dominguez, a customer relations worker at the Fairfield Marriot, said the hotel’s windows and balconies had been sufficiently protected from the storm and guests were fine, although cellphone and internet services had been knocked out.
The weather system caused damage in the country’s south over the weekend before it became a tropical storm, flooding 1,400 homes in Guerrero state and leaving three dead in Chiapas.
Tropical storm warnings are in effect as the hurricane is expected to make its second landfall along the north-western coast of Mexico.
“Already, moisture from Newton has spread into the southwest USA, and more to come”, Golembo said.
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After passing over the resort area, Newton headed northward up the sparsely populated interior of the peninsula and then sput out over the gulf during the night.
