Hilary has developed into a hurricane in the Pacific Ocean to the southwest of Mexico, and its trajectory is set to take it along the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. While its strength is expected to diminish, it still poses potential effects on certain areas of the western region.
Forecasters from the National Hurricane Center have issued a warning that Hilary is anticipated to undergo rapid intensification, potentially reaching Category 4 hurricane status by the week’s end, accompanied by winds reaching a minimum of 130 mph.
On Thursday morning, the hurricane was positioned approximately 320 miles to the south of Manzanillo, Mexico. It was generating maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
Hilary is anticipated to lose strength notably prior to its arrival in Southern California and parts of the Southwest. However, it remains a potential source of significant effects such as heavy rainfall and flooding in these regions.
According to Daniel Swain, a climate scientist from the University of California, Los Angeles, there is a possibility of experiencing what could amount to several years’ worth of precipitation in some of California’s driest zones.
Due to the uncertain nature of the forecast, a wide array of outcomes remains plausible, given Hilary’s trajectory parallel to the Baja Peninsula. Even minor shifts in its path could result in substantial variations in the levels of rainfall and resulting impacts.
The San Diego National Weather Service emphasized that this situation could lead to a notably impactful occurrence for parts of Southern California. Although the forecast still holds some degree of uncertainty, additional details regarding timing, location, and the extent of impacts are expected to emerge in the upcoming days.