Hurricane Hilary now major hurricane with ‘significant’ impacts expected in California, Southwest
Hurricane Hilary rapidly intensified into a Category 3 cyclone on Thursday, and forecasters said that the hurricane’s path means the storm could bring “significant” impacts to Southern California and the Southwest by the weekend and into the first part of next week.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), rapid intensification occurs when a tropical cyclone’s maximum sustained winds increase by at least 35 mph in a 24-hour period.
“Rainfall impacts from Hilary within the Southwestern United States are expected to peak this weekend into Monday,” the NHC said in an advisory. “Flash, urban and arroyo flooding is possible with the potential for significant impacts.”
Ocean water temperatures off the coast of California remain cool, so influence should diminish the intensity of Hurricane Hilary if the forecast track brings the storm to the Golden S꧙tate.
What forecasters are keeping an eye on will be🎐ꦜ the abundant tropical moisture that could be flowing into California, Nevada and Arizona.
Here’s a closer look at Hurricane Hilary.
Where is Hurricane Hilary?
Hurricane Hilary is located about 430 miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Me🦄xico.
Itꦯ is moving to the west-northwest at ♐14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph.
What is the forecast for Hurricane Hilary?
The NHC said Hurricane Hilary is expected to🍌 turn to the northwest on Friday before turning northward over the weekend.
O�🐠�n the expected path, the center of Hurricane Hilary will approach the Baja California peninsula on Saturday.
What are the impacts of Hurricane Hilary?
The Mexican government has issu♎ed a series of weather alerts for the entire coast of the southern Baja California peninsula.
A Tropical Storm Warning is issued when tropical storm-force winds (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are expected within the alerted area wiཧthin 36 hours. And a Hurricane Watch is issued when winds of at least 74 mph are expected within 48 hours.
Theseജ winds may also be accompanied by storm surge anღd flooding.
Large swells generated by Hurricane Hilaಌry will aff🔯ect portions of the southwestern Mexico coast and the Baja California peninsula over the next few days, according to the NHC.
The swells are also likely ꦯto cause life-th💃reatening surf and potentially deadly rip currents.
As Hurricane Hilary spins closer to the U.S.-Mexico border, millions of people living in Southern California and the Southwest will need to keeꦯp an eye on a surge of tropical moisture expected to impact the region.
Hurricane Hillary is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 3-6 inches, with possible higher amounts of up to 10 inches across portions of the Baja California peninsula through Sunꦅday night.
Flash flooding, which can be locally significant, will be possible, theᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ NHC warned.
Heavy rain associated with Hurricane Hilary is also expected to impact California and the Southwest starting Friday and lasting💎 through early꧃ next week, with peak impacts expected on Sunday and Monday.
Forecast rainfall♔ totals of 2-4 inches, with some amounts of up to 8 inches, will be possible across portions of ꦬSouthern California and Southern Nevada.
Between 2-ಌ3 inches of rain could also fall ac๊ross portions of western Arizona.
The NWS already issued a Flood Watch for Saturday morning to Monday afternoon. Las Vegas, ♐San Diego, Palm Springs, Newport Beach and Los Angeles are all included.
“A substantial moisture surge driven by Hurricane Hilary will result in several days of moderately heavy rainfall over the weekend into early next week,” states the Flood Watch. “Impacts will become more significant with each passing day as soils saturate, resulting in increased runoff.”
Hurricane Hilary may impact supply chain, expert warns
Hurricane Hilary is predicted to impact the supply chain in so💧uthern California over the weekend and early next week, says Jon Davis🤪, chief meteorologist at Everstream Analytics.
“This is noteworthy because it is extremely rare for southern California to be impacted, in any way, by a tropical system,” he told FOX Weather. “Impacts include disruptions at the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles as well as the metro areas of San Diego and Los Angeles.”
Davis also mentioned that heavy rains and ๊flash flooding will primarily affect the Imperial Valley, which supplies agriculture, livestock, an🌳d the mining of lithium.
Hurricane Hilary impacting space launch operations from California
Due to the proximity of the hurricane to the water off of Southern California, SpaceX all🍬otted to postpone t♌he launch of a Falcon 9 rocket with Starlink satellites.
The event was expected to take place on Friday morning, but the private space company said it would attempt another launch next week, i🏅f weather conditions improved.
Weather conditions at Vandenberg Space Force Base north of Los Angeles were in the 60s with minimal wind on Thursday, but Elon Musk’s SpaceX said it needed calmer seas in Pacific to ensure safe recovery operations of the booster.
