6 Inches Of SoCal Rain In 2 Days Possible From Hurricane Hilary: Forecast Update

LOS ANGELES, CA — Tropical storm Hilary officially became a hurricane as it rapidly gained strength on its path toward Southern California Thursday. National Weather Service officials expect the storm to continue to intensify, becoming a Category 3 major hurricane later in the day.

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.

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.

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Forecasters said Southern California residents should expect heavy rain and lightning storms with the possibility of flooding.

"It really depends on the track of this system," San Diego-based NWS meteorologist Adam Roser told Patch. "We're still not confident on the track."

It's not yet clear if Hilary will make its way through Baja California up through SoCal or go off the coast.

The most recent forecasts, released Thursday by the National Hurricane Center, show Hilary entering California as downgraded tropical storm and heading north toward Northwestern Nevada, at which point it will have weakened to a depression.

The majority of Southern California has just a "slight" risk of flash flooding (less than 15 percent). The major exception is a pocket that extends from the Inland Empire down to inland San Diego and Imperial counties, which have a "moderate" risk of flash flooding (at least 40 percent). Burn scar areas from recent wildfires face an added risk of flooding.

"Our eastern desert areas, Palm Springs, Borrego Springs, those lower desert areas and the eastern mountains are looking to be hit hard," Roser said.

Most of that inland area could see around 4 inches of rain. Some areas could see around 6 inches of rain while a small area around Anza Borrego State Park could see in excess of 10 inches.

About 2 inches of rain are forecast for the majority of Southern California. Coastal areas are expected to see less than 2 inches of rain.

Surf of 4 to 7 feet is possible at southeast- and south-facing beaches, along with strong rip currents, with the worst expected on Catalina Island.