Hurricane Hilary, on path toward California, could bring “rare and dangerous flooding” to southwestern U.S.
A storm headed in the direction of Southern California grew into a hurricane on Thursday and later strengthened to a major Category 4 storm, the National Hurricane Center said. It is expected to bring heavy rainfall to parts of the state — as a tropical storm — after hitting Mexico.
The storm “is not expected to be a hurricane on final approach,” said Greg Postel, a hurricane and storm specialist at the Weather Channel who has a doctorate in atmospheric sciences.
The storm’s remnants are likely to bring dangerous flash flooding as well as strong winds to some parts of California, including the Los Angeles Basin, the Weather Channel reports. “Rare and dangerous flooding will be possible” in the southwestern U.S., according to the hurricane center.
Postel said the storm will likely cause large swells along the coast in the next several days.
“It is rare — indeed nearly unprecedented in the modern record — to have a tropical system like this move through Southern California,” Postel said.
Hurricane Hilary was located about 360 miles south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, by midmorning Friday, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving northwest at 10 mph. The storm is expected to turn toward the north-northwest later Friday, the center said.
Forecasters said the storm is expected to produce 3 to 6 inches of rainfall, with maximum amounts of 10 inches, across portions of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula through Sunday night, with the possibility of flash flooding. Postel said there will likely be “damaging wind gusts,” especially at higher elevations, in the area, and swells along the coast.
Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for parts of Baja California. Tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect for parts of the peninsula as well in addition to parts of mainland Mexico, from the California-Mexico border north to the Los Angeles County-Orange County line and Catalina Island.
“On the forecast track, the center of Hilary will move close to the west coast of the Baja California peninsula over the weekend and reach southern California by Sunday night,” the hurricane center said.
“Hilary is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by Sunday afternoon before it reaches southern California,” it said.
Summarize this content to 100 words A storm headed in the direction of Southern California grew into a hurricane on Thursday and later strengthened to a major Category 4 storm, the National Hurricane Center said. It is expected to bring heavy rainfall to parts of the state — as a tropical storm — after hitting Mexico.The storm “is not expected to be a hurricane on final approach,” said Greg Postel, a hurricane and storm specialist at the Weather Channel who has a doctorate in atmospheric sciences.The storm’s remnants are likely to bring dangerous flash flooding as well as strong winds to some parts of California, including the Los Angeles Basin, the Weather Channel reports. “Rare and dangerous flooding will be possible” in the southwestern U.S., according to the hurricane center.
Postel said the storm will likely cause large swells along the coast in the next several days. “It is rare — indeed nearly unprecedented in the modern record — to have a tropical system like this move through Southern California,” Postel said.Hurricane Hilary was located about 360 miles south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, by midmorning Friday, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving northwest at 10 mph. The storm is expected to turn toward the north-northwest later Friday, the center said.
#Hilary continues to rapidly intensify and is now a Category 4 Major Hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph..Latest Public Advisory from @NHC_Pacific: https://t.co/xucjiWFD7q?Latest Discussion from @NHC_Pacific: https://t.co/qsHu4hVMow?#CAwx pic.twitter.com/sEeOkpM57N— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) August 18, 2023
Forecasters said the storm is expected to produce 3 to 6 inches of rainfall, with maximum amounts of 10 inches, across portions of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula through Sunday night, with the possibility of flash flooding. Postel said there will likely be “damaging wind gusts,” especially at higher elevations, in the area, and swells along the coast.
Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for parts of Baja California. Tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect for parts of the peninsula as well in addition to parts of mainland Mexico, from the California-Mexico border north to the Los Angeles County-Orange County line and Catalina Island.”On the forecast track, the center of Hilary will move close to the west coast of the Baja California peninsula over the weekend and reach southern California by Sunday night,” the hurricane center said.”Hilary is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by Sunday afternoon before it reaches southern California,” it said.
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Kerry Breen
Kerry Breen is a news editor and reporter for CBS News. Her reporting focuses on current events, breaking news and substance use.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-hilary-2023-path-storm-california-forecast/ Hurricane Hilary, on path toward California, could bring “rare and dangerous flooding” to southwestern U.S.