2023-08-20 18:41:21
Hilary made landfall in a sparsely populated area south of Ensenada.
The storm has already caused flooding in parts of Mexico’s arid peninsula and threatens to unleash torrential rains on landslide-prone Tijuana, where many homes cling to steep slopes. Hilary is moving north as the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years.
Weather forecasts warned that the storm might bring extreme flooding, mudslides and even tornadoes. No tropical storm has made landfall in Southern California since September 25, 1939.
Parts of the southwestern United States might be hit with one-of-a-kind rainfall and there’s a good chance Hilary will break all records as the wettest tropical cyclone to hit Nevada, Oregon and Idaho.
As of 8 a.m. Pacific time, Hilary was located regarding 350 kilometers south-southeast of San Diego, the US National Hurricane Center reported. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h and was moving northwest at a speed of 41 km/h.
A person drowned in the Mexican town of Santa Rosalia on the peninsula’s east coast on Saturday when a vehicle was swept away by a stream. Rescuers managed to save four other people, Mulege Mayor Edith Aguilar Villavicencio said.
It was not immediately clear if authorities considered the death to be related to the hurricane, but video posted by local authorities showed torrents of water flowing through the streets of the city.
According to weather forecasts, the storm is still set to make history as the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years. Hilary is expected to cause flash floods, mudslides, isolated tornadoes, high winds and power outages. Authorities have issued an evacuation notice for Santa Catalina Island, urging residents and beachgoers to leave the tourist destination.
Elizabeth Adams, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in San Diego, said rain might let up to 7.62 centimeters per hour through the mountains and deserts of Southern California on Sunday followingnoon. Intense rains during these hours might cause flash flooding.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency, and officials have urged people to complete their preparations before sunset on Saturday. It would be too late on Sunday, according to an expert.
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