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Southern California is bracing for significant heavy rainfall and possible extensive flooding as Hurricane Hilary reaches the region, forecasters say.
Hilary, which intensified to category 4 status Friday, will still be a hurricane when reaching the West Coast of the Baja California peninsula Saturday night. However, it’s expected to weaken into a tropical storm as it approaches Southern California Sunday afternoon.
For the first time, a tropical storm watch was placed in parts of Southern California Friday from the California-Mexico border to the Orange-Los Angeles County line as well as Catalina Island.
Located about 360 miles south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Hilary is considered “large and powerful” by the National Hurricane Center with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph Friday.
The National Weather Service encourages residents to secure valuables around homes and avoid driving on flooded roads.
When will Hilary hit Southern California?
Despite Hilary weakening on approach, parts of Southern California could see impacts as soon as Saturday, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Scott Homan.
“However, the impacts of the storm will be well ahead of that as lots of moisture gets strung northward into the storm system and then moves north into California,” Homan told USA TODAY.
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San Diego could see rainfall by Saturday evening, while Los Angeles residents can expect rainfall Sunday afternoon, Homan said. He said Los Angeles, Anaheim, Santa Barbara and San Diego could see about 4 inches of rainfall while desert areas like Palm Springs and the Sierra Nevadas face the potential of 4 to 8 inches.
Hilary is expected to weaken into a Category 3 hurricane by late Saturday afternoon and diminish into a tropical storm by Sunday afternoon.
Zion, Joshua Tree, Death Valley national parks at risk for flooding
California national parks Joshua Tree and Death Valley as well as Zion in Utah are at risk of flooding due to the torrential rains caused by Hilary.
Zion Canyon, known for its steep, red cliffs, is practically guaranteed to be flooded on both Friday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The National Park Service has issued its own flood warning for Zion, advising visitors to avoid slot canyons — long, narrow passageways with rock walls on either side — through at least 6 a.m. MDT (8 a.m. EDT) on Saturday.
Vulnerable parts of Joshua Tree National Park‘s desert landscape closed Friday evening for an indefinite amount of time in preparation for Hilary, including Geology Tour Road.
Death Valley National Park‘s normally bone-dry landscape may turn into a massive lake, according to a report from AccuWeather. Meteorologists say that the park could face between 2 and 4 inches of rain, higher than the annual average of less than an inch.
Residents brace for Hilary with sandbags
From Seal Beach to the Coachella Valley, emergency response workers are giving out sandbags in preparation for the potential of severe flooding caused by Hilary.
Workers also re-enforced sand berm, meant to protect low-lying coastal communities like Huntington Beach from winter surf.
The Palm Springs area could see about 5 inches of rain, more than a year’s worth, according to forecasters.
Contributing: Eric Lagatta, Jeanine Santucci
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