Hurricane Hilary to make landfall in Southern California, first tropical storm watch issued

As Hurricane Hilary intensifies, bearing sustained winds of 145 miles per hour (233 kilometers per hour), the US authorities issued an unprecedented tropical storm watch for Southern California on Friday. This Category 4 storm is on a trajectory toward the Baja California peninsula and the Southwest US.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts that Hurricane Hilary will make landfall in Mexico on Saturday before moving its course up through Southern California.

Posting on X, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Los Angeles stated, "Currently a powerful CAT 4 storm. Hurricane Hilary will weaken into a tropical storm as it approaches Southern California this weekend. Expecting significant impacts for SoCal Sun-Mon."

Forecasters anticipate substantial rainfall of 3-6 inches (7.60-15 centimeters) in various areas, including Los Angeles and San Diego, which typically experience minimal rainfall in August.

Moreover, it is plausible that certain areas could receive as much as 10 to 15 inches of rain (25-38 cm). This could be tantamount to several months' worth of rainfall in just a matter of days, causing havoc in communities and leading to flash floods and mudslides.

NWS Los Angeles noted, "A flood watch has been issued for LA and Ventura counties, including Catalina Island, effective from Sunday afternoon through Monday evening. Catalina Island residents could be the most vulnerable."

Southern Nevada, including Las Vegas, is also expected to experience heavy rainfall.

Should Hilary enter California as a tropical storm, it will mark the first occurrence of such an event in the state in 84 years. The last instance of a tropical storm making landfall in Long Beach dates back to 1939, according to NWS records.