Hurricane Hilary strengthened to a Category 4 storm Friday, and is threatening “significant impacts” to the southwestern region of the U.S.
Tropical storm Hilary was expected to reach a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale on Thursday, but has since turned into a potentially much larger weather event, according to NBC News. Hilary increased in intensity from 70 mph to 145 mph in 24 hours. Forecasters hope the system will weaken as it reaches America’s western shores, but “significant impacts” are still expected in the southwest.
The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm watch Friday morning for the region north of the California-Mexico border, all the way to Los Angeles County and Catalina Island. This is the first time in its history the organization has issued a tropical storm watch for the region, according to NBC.
#Hilary 🧵: Rainfall impacts from Hurricane Hilary within the Southwestern United States are expected to peak this weekend into Monday. Flash, urban, and arroyo flooding is expected with the potential for significant impacts. pic.twitter.com/haRvJar8cG
— National Weather Service (@NWS) August 18, 2023
Forecasters still said Friday morning that it’s “nearly impossible” to tell where the storm will collide. But the exact location may not make a difference when it comes to hazards posed to the entire coastline and mountainous parts of the state, according to NBC.
Parts of Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Oregon and Idaho may also experience some flash flooding, a National Weather Service (NWS) graphic shows. (RELATED: News Censorship On Facebook Is Endangering Wildfire Evacuees In Canada, Residents Say)
Rainfall impacts are forecast to peak in the southwest from Saturday into Sunday, posing risk of flash, urban and arroyo flooding, NWS warned Friday. The agency implemented a Day 3 High Risk of flash flooding due to potentially heavy runoff from the Santa Rosa Mountains, NBC reported.