Summary:
- Hurricane Hillary remains a category four storm with a distinct eye on satellite imagery.
- The storm is projected to turn northward, potentially impacting the Baja of California.
- Southern California is expected to experience the worst impacts, including strong winds and heavy rain.
- A tropical storm watch has been issued for the coastline from San Diego to Los Angeles.
- Coastal areas can anticipate strong winds reaching 45 to 55 mph, weakening by early Monday.
- Heavy rainfall poses a significant risk, especially in areas unaccustomed to such precipitation.
- The highest risk of excessive rainfall and flooding lies in a specific highlighted area.
Next couple of days, a lot more comfortable in Northern California. An update on Hurricane Hillary from the National Hurricane Center reveals its category four status and its projected path.
The National Hurricane Center's latest update at eight o'clock indicates that Hurricane Hillary remains a category four storm with a well-defined eye on satellite imagery. The storm is maintaining its strength and is projected to turn further north. While moving northwestward, the storm might come closer to the Baja of California by Sunday morning, with sustained winds around 100 to 110 miles per hour. As Sunday progresses, the storm is expected to more closely impact land, primarily Southern California. It will likely be a category one storm by that time, causing significant impacts in terms of both wind and rain. The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm watch that covers the San Diego coastline to Los Angeles, implying the potential for tropical storm-like effects, including strong winds. These conditions are expected to commence on Sunday morning, with winds reaching 45 to 55 miles per hour by Sunday afternoon and evening. Coastal areas can anticipate wind weakening by early Monday morning, while some regions like San Bernardino County might still experience strong winds due to local geography. The forecast also raises concerns about heavy rainfall, as several inches are expected to fall in a short span of time. This region, unaccustomed to heavy rainfall during this season, faces a high risk of excessive rainfall, flash flooding, urban flooding, and potential river flooding. The greatest risk lies in an area highlighted in pink on the National Hurricane Center's forecast map, indicating a greater than 70% chance of these types of flooding. The likelihood of such events decreases as one moves northward, and the impacts on Northern California are expected to be much milder.
As Hurricane Hillary progresses, the affected regions are bracing for a combination of strong winds and heavy rainfall. The National Hurricane Center's ongoing updates will provide more accurate predictions as the storm unfolds.