Mexico is bracing itself for the impact of a potent Pacific hurricane, Hurricane Hilary, which has raised concerns of “potentially catastrophic” flooding in a northwestern tourist region and the adjacent US state of California.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued warnings of Hurricane Hilary potentially bringing about severe winds, flash floods, and “life-threatening” surf and rip current conditions.
In preparation for the impending storm, residents and workers in Cabo San Lucas, a popular destination for Mexican and foreign tourists, have been putting up protective boarding, setting up sandbags, and securing furniture as large waves crash ashore.
Hurricane Hilary reached maximum sustained winds of approximately 145 miles per hour (230 kilometers per hour) before slightly slowing down on Friday. The NHC classified it as a Category Four hurricane, making it the second-most powerful on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which ranges from one to five.
The NHC issued warnings of “life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flooding” expected over much of Baja California and southern California throughout the weekend and early next week.
Residents in the affected areas have been stocking up on essential supplies, as one resident, Marlen Hernandez, said, “We’ve already had to live through similar experiences. We know what can happen to us. We must be prepared with food, canned goods, and candles.”
Tourists in the region are also expressing concerns and taking precautions. Katrina Morgan, a US tourist in Cabo San Lucas, said, “We are a little scared and trying to stay positive.”
As of the latest report, Hurricane Hilary was located approximately 285 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of Baja California.
The NHC’s forecast indicates that the center of the hurricane will approach the west coast of the Baja California peninsula over the weekend and reach southern California by Sunday night.
Unusually, a hurricane warning has been issued for a stretch of coastline in Baja California from Punta Abreojos to Cabo San Quintin, with a hurricane watch extending north from there to Ensenada.
In the United States, a tropical storm watch is in effect from the California/Mexico border to Point Mugu in Ventura County, including Catalina Island, according to the NHC.
While fluctuations in the hurricane’s intensity are expected, weakening is anticipated to begin by Saturday. However, Hilary is still expected to be a hurricane when it approaches the west coast of the Baja California peninsula on Saturday night and Sunday. It is predicted to weaken to a tropical storm by late Sunday before reaching southern California.
The storm has already brought rain and rough seas to areas along Mexico’s southwestern Pacific coast, including the popular tourist resort of Acapulco.
The US is also preparing for the impact of Hurricane Hilary, with the NHC warning of “rainfall amounts of three to six inches, with isolated amounts of 10 inches” expected across parts of southern California and southern Nevada, which could lead to dangerous and potentially catastrophic flooding.
Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer have rescheduled games scheduled for Sunday in the affected region as the storm approaches.
Hurricanes are a yearly occurrence in Mexico, affecting both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts, typically between May and November. While the remnants of these storms sometimes impact California, it is rare for cyclones to hit the US state with tropical storm intensity.