Hurricane Hilary could become the first tropical storm of its kind to hit Southern California since 1939. Forecasters fear the storm could lead to flooding, mudslides and tornadoes.
Hurricane Hilary, seen in a satellite image from August 17, 2023, is rapidly intensifying in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico on Thursday and has strengthened into a strong Category 3 storm. Hilary is located about 475 miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It is moving to the west-northwest at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph Hurricane Hilary is heading north, the center of the storm will approach the Baja California peninsula over the weekend and on path to Southern California and the Southwest by late Sunday or early Monday. If Hilary makes landfall on California as a tropical storm, it’ll be the first one in 84 years. Photo by NOAA/ZUMA Press Wire/TNS
Hurricane Hilary could become the first tropical storm of its kind to hit Southern California since 1939. Forecasters fear the storm could lead to flooding, mudslides and tornadoes.
Map showing 3-day forecast for Hurricane Hilary. TNS 2023
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Hilary grew rapidly into Category 4 strength off Mexico’s Pacific coast on Friday and could reach Southern California as the first tropical storm there in 84 years, which forecasters warned could cause extreme flooding, mudslides and even tornados.
Hilary had sustained winds near 145 mph early Friday, and was expected to strengthen a bit more before starting to weaken. Nevertheless, it was forecast to still be a hurricane when approaching Mexico’s Baja California peninsula on Saturday night, and a tropical storm when approaching Southern California on Sunday.
The National Hurricane Center on Friday issued its first ever tropical storm watch for much of Southern California, covering a wide swath of the region from the coast to the interior mountains and deserts.
