Hurricane Newton is bringing wind and heavy rain as it moves over southern Baja California.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Newton was located at latitude 24.7°N and longitude 111.4°W which put it about 75 miles (120 km) west-northwest of La Paz, Mexico.  Newton was moving toward the northwest at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 986 mb.

There are Hurricane Warnings in effect for the portions of the coast from Cabo San Lazaro to Todos Santos, from Los Barriles to Mulege and from Guaymas to Bahia Kino.  Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for the portions of the coast from Cabo San Lazaro to Punta Abreojos, from Mulege to Bahia San Juan Bautista, from Bahia Tempehuaya to Guaymas and from Bahia Kino to Puerto Libertad.  A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast form Bahia Kino to Puerto Libertad.

Hurricane Newton made landfall on the southern tip of Baja California on Tuesday morning.  It moved along the western coast of the peninsula and the center passed to the west of La Paz, Mexico.  Newton is now moving north across Baja California near Ciudad Constitucion.  Newton is generating winds to hurricane force.  Areas of heavier rain are occurring near La Paz and Mulege.  Very heavy rain is falling where the wind is pushing air up the slopes of mountains and there is a substantial risk of flash flooding in those areas.

The structure of Hurricane Newton is beginning to deteriorate as it interacts with the mountains on Baja California.  The circulation is starting to tilt toward the north as the low level circulation is partially blocked by west coast of Baja while the middle and upper portions of the circulation continue to move north.  The strongest thunderstorms are occurring south of the center of circulation.  Additional strong thunderstorms are occurring rain bands north of the center over the Gulf of California.

Hurricane Newton will weaken as long as the center of circulation is moving over the mountains in southern Baja California.  It is possible that the middle and upper parts of the circulation could temporarily become detached from the existing low level center.  A new low level center could form under the middle and upper parts of the circulation when they emerge over the Gulf of California.  The Sea Surface Temperature in the Gulf of California is 32°C, but Newton will only be over the water for a few hours.  So, the potential for significant re-intensification is slight.

Hurricane Newton is moving around the western end of a ridge of high pressure.  The ridge is steering Newton toward the north.  That general motion is expected to continue for the next few hours and then Hurricane Newton could turn more toward the north-northeast.  On its anticipated track Hurricane Newton will emerge over the Gulf of California near Loreto in about 12 hours.  Newton will make a landfall on the west coast of Mexico in about 18 hours.

Hurricane Newton will continue to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the southern part of Baja California for the rest of Tuesday.  It will also produce heavy rain over portions of western Mexico on Wednesday.  Flash flooding will continue to be a risk in areas of steep terrain.  The remnants of Hurricane Newton could transport moist air over southeastern Arizona and western New Mexico.