Tropical Storm Watch Issued In CA As Hurricane Hilary Approaches

CALIFORNIA — Hurricane Hilary has intensified to Category 4 status as it continues to make its way northward off the coast of Baja California Friday morning, bringing with it winds up to 140 mph.

The National Hurricane Center has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for a wide swath of Southern California, marking the first time such a warning has been issued for the region.

The NWS expects heavy rainfall to peak in the region this weekend and into Monday.

The powerful storm is expected to reach Southern California by Saturday as a tropical storm. However, it has the potential to become the rare tropical cyclone to make landfall in the state. According to the National Weather Service in San Diego, it's been nearly a century since a tropical cyclone hit the region, bringing strong winds, large surf and torrential rain.

Forecasters expect 2 to 4 inches of rain in most areas, though some small pockets could see amounts over 6 inches. The NWS expects the hardest-hit areas to include a region that extends from the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley down to inland San Diego and Imperial counties.

Hilary's exact route is still uncertain, but National Weather Service forecasts show the downpours could start Saturday night in San Diego, peaking in intensity Sunday and Monday across Southern California. The threat of showers and thunderstorms is expected to remain throughout next week.

The NWS has issued a series of flood watches across SoCal. Flood watches begin in San Diego on Friday night, in Orange County on Saturday night and in Los Angeles County on Sunday afternoon.

Weather officials have warned that flooding might prompt evacuation orders or road closures due to dangerous conditions. Heavy rain has the potential to turn normally dry or weak waterways into "dangerous rivers," that could lead to debris flows, the NWS said.

But until the rain comes, dry lightning has been an issue across the state. Cal Fire recorded over 4,450 dry lightning strikes earlier this week. The agency warned that an increase in such strikes come with a greater risk of wildfire.

Forecasts show that some areas of SoCal could see wind gusts of up to 60 mph. Southeast- and south- facing beaches could get surf of 4 to 7 feet, with Catalina the most likely to see strong swells.

The region's first-ever tropical storm watch applies to a wide swath of SoCal that includes the coast, mountains and deserts of San Diego county; coastal and inland Orange County, the Coachella Valley; and the Inland Empire from Temecula to San Bernardino.

In Los Angeles County, the watch is in effect for Catalina Island, the Antelope Valley foothills, Santa Clarita Valley, San Gabriel Mountains and the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) freeway corridors.

SEE ALSO:

• Hurricane Hilary Could Drop 6 Inches Of Rain In Parts Of SoCal
• Bay Area Downpours, Thunderstorms Possible In Hurricane Hilary's Wake