Hurricane Hilary Grows Into Category 4 Storm; Forecasted To Hit California, Southwest

Hurricane Hilary has grown into a Category 4 storm and is forecasted to hit parts of the Baja California Peninsula and the southwestern U.S. Further reports say Hilary could even be the first tropical storm to make landfall in California since 1939,

Hurricane Hilary Poses Threat of Heavy Rain {Photo: Los Angeles Times]

Recent weather forecasts state that Hurricane Hilary is intensifying at full speed in the Pacific Ocean and is anticipated to bring heavy rain and flash floods to Southern California and the state of Nevada by the weekend.

According to Jones, the National Hurricane Center also announced that Hurricane Hilary is posing a threat to parts of the Baja California Peninsula and the southwestern U.S. which includes rainfall of up to 12 inches in the mountains. Furthermore, as of August 18, Hurricane Hilary had reportedly grown into a Category 4 storm and had maximum sustained winds of 145 mph.

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Hurricane Hilary As First Tropical Storm in California

An article in USA Today states that if Hurricane Hilary does make landfall in the state of California, it could be the first tropical storm in the state since 1939. Tropical storm Kay also brought heavy rain and flooding to Southern California in 2022 but it fortunately did not make landfall.

However, on August 17, the National Hurricane Center does not rule out the possibility of Hurricane Hilary making landfall farther from California. The Center’s Senior Hurricane Specialist Richard Pasch stated that although there is high confidence in the forecasts, Hurricane Hilary’s approach to the Baja California peninsula makes it almost impossible to know if its center will remain offshore or if it will make its way through the peninsula.

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