Newton makes landfall in mainland Mexico

While all eyes have been on Hermine in the Atlantic, a new Pacific storm threatens part of Mexico.

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.

At least two people are dead and three missing after a fishing vessel was wrecked by the storm. And Arizona and New Mexico are next.

The storm is expected to bring up to 30 centimetres of rain in Baja California Sur and as much as 25 centimetres in several Pacific coast states, which could trigger flash floods and mudslides.

If the storm remains at tropical storm strength when it moves into Arizona later Wednesday, it would be only the sixth on record to do so, the weather service said.

Flash flood warnings were also issued in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota.

The weather system caused damage in the country’s south over the weekend before it became a tropical storm, with heavy rain blamed for three deaths in the southern state of Chiapas.

Roberto Dominguez, a customer relations worker at the Fairfield Marriot in Cabo San Lucas said guests hunkered down in their rooms overnight.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 50 miles per hour (85 kph) with higher gusts.

Palm trees were toppled along Cabo San Lucas’ coastal boulevard and some windows were broken.

Newton swept onto the Gulf of California after slamming the resorts of southern Baja as a hurricane before making landfall Mexico’s mainland and weakening to a tropical storm.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds early Wednesday were near 70 miles per hour, with rapid weakening expected as the center moved inland.

By 11 a.m. EDT on September 7 NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.Newton continues to weaken over northern Sonora, Mexico and high wind and flash flood watches in effect for portions of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.

Californian holidaymaker Mark Hernandez said: “We pray for the city of Cabo San Lucas. It was a rough one as you can see”. Some windows were also shattered, but there was calm in the city as firefighters cleaned the streets of refuse.

Flights have been cancelled, stranding around 14,000 people, and some damage to luxury resorts in Los Cabos has been reported.