As the morning of August 18, 2023 slowly dawned, Hurricane Hilary was lurking in the Pacific Ocean, threatening the Baja California peninsula with its menacing presence. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite captured an image of the Category 4 storm as it approached at around 09:25 UTC, showing temperatures ranging from warm surfaces (yellow) to cool cloud structures (white and blue).
At 9 a.m. Mountain Time (15:00 UTC), Hilary had maximum sustained winds of 145 miles (230 kilometers) per hour, and had developed from a tropical storm to a powerful Category 4 hurricane in less than 24 hours. Forecasters from the National Hurricane Center predicted that Hilary would continue to move north-northwest and weaken before reaching the center of the peninsula by the evening of August 19. By the evening of August 20, the storm was forecast to move inland over Southern California and bring heavy rain to cities such as San Diego and Los Angeles.
The Government of Mexico issued a hurricane warning for the Baja California peninsula from Punta Abreojos to Punta Eugenia. The U.S. National Hurricane Center even went one step further and issued a tropical storm watch for portions of Southern California, including San Diego and north up to Huntington Beach, which is the first time they had done so for that region.
The potential impact of Hurricane Hilary is great, not just because it’s a powerful Category 4 storm but also due to its move inland over Southern California. This could mean days of heavy rain for the region, saturating soils for several days after it passes through. Although forecasters are unsure how badly these areas will be impacted by Hilary, residents should make sure to stay informed and take all necessary precautions in order to stay safe before, during, and after this natural disaster.
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