By the weekend, Hurricane Hilary could bring torrential rain to the southwestern United States after strengthening quickly to Category 4 status off the Pacific coast of Mexico. At midnight, Hilary had sustained winds of about 140 mph (220 kph), and the U.S. National Hurricane Centre predicted that it will continue to rapidly intensify into Friday morning. On Saturday, it should start to wane.
The Baja California peninsula may experience tropical storm-like conditions starting late Friday. The predicted path of Hurricane Hilary indicated that it may make landfall in the centre of the peninsula by Sunday or it could pass just offshore while moving towards Southern California. At the southernmost point of the Baja peninsula, where Hilary was centred, Los Cabos was about 425 miles (685 km) to the south. It was moving west-northwest at 14 mph (22 kph), but was expected to turn gradually north through Saturday.
Parts of Baja California Sur state were under a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning from the hurricane centre, which indicated that hurricane and tropical storm conditions were predicted to develop within 36 and 48 hours, respectively. Parts of the state of Baja California were under a tropical storm watch. The hurricane centre warned that Hilary may temporarily survive as a tropical storm or tropical depression and cross the border into the United States when it approaches or brushes the Baja peninsula.
Since September 25, 1939, no tropical storm has made landfall in Southern California, according to the National Weather Service. The hurricane centre stated that “Rainfall impacts from Hilary within the Southwestern United States are expected to peak this weekend into Monday.” “Flash, urban, and arroyo flooding is possible with the potential for significant impacts.”
From Yuma, Arizona, to Yuma, California, as well as certain areas of southern Nevada, could be included in the area that could get severe rains. From a site on the central coast of California, SpaceX postponed the launch of a rocket carrying satellites until at least Monday. The business warned that the pacific ocean’s circumstances would make it challenging for a ship to recover the rocket booster. The Los Angeles weather office reported that an excessive rainfall forecast was in effect for Southern California from Sunday through Tuesday.
There is a strong likelihood of significant rain and floods even if it is unlikely that Hilary will make landfall in California as a tropical storm, according to UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain in an online briefing on Wednesday. Between the cities of Playas de Rosarito and Ensenada, in the state of Baja California, the Mexican government warned that a weaker Hurricane Hilary might impact the coast Sunday night.
On Thursday, the city of Yuma provided citizens with a self-serve sandbag filling station as part of its preparations. While supplies remain, the sandbag station will be stocked with empty bags and sand for self-filling. Five sandbags per vehicle were permitted for residents.
