The FMRE (Federación Mexicana de Radioexperimentadores) Emergency Communication Net activated as Hurricane Newton, now a tropical storm, approached the Baja California peninsula. The storm now is weakening as it passes over the Mexican state of Sonora. The net has asked the cooperation of the Amateur Radio community in keeping both 7.060 and 7.130 MHz clear for any emergency traffic.

As of 1200 UTC on September 7, Tropical Storm Newton was about 55 miles northwest of Hermosillo, Mexico, and about 180 miles south-southwest of Tucson, Arizona, with maximum sustained winds of 60 MPH, moving north at 17 MPH. Rapid weakening will continue as Newton moves farther inland. The government of Mexico has discontinued all coastal watches and warnings. High wind watches and wind advisories are in effect for portions of the US Southwest. On its current forecast track, the storm’s center will move over extreme northwestern Mexico this morning and into southeastern Arizona this afternoon.