Hurricane Hilary charged toward Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, unleashing heavy rainfall and prompting concerns about catastrophic and life-threatening flooding in both the peninsula and the U.S. Southwest.
Mexican officials shared images depicting the flooding and roads washed away in the region. In the United States, the hurricane disrupted flights and sports events ahead of its arrival.
As of early Sunday, the hurricane boasted sustained winds of up to 85 mph (140 kph), as reported by the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). The NHC projected that its center would approach the west-central coast of the Baja California peninsula in the coming hours, then traverse southern California later in the day.
Although Hilary was expected to weaken somewhat, it was likely to retain hurricane status as it moved near Baja California, eventually becoming a tropical storm upon reaching southern California, according to the NHC.
The hurricane’s impact was expected to generate storm surges, potentially leading to coastal flooding in parts of Baja California. Furthermore, the heavy rainfall associated with the hurricane posed a significant risk of causing catastrophic flooding in certain areas, as warned by the NHC.
The latest advisory from the Miami-based agency indicated anticipated rainfall of 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15 cm), with isolated amounts reaching up to 10 inches, across the northern Baja California peninsula, as well as portions of southern California and southern Nevada.
At 0900 GMT, Hilary was located approximately 385 miles (625 km) south-southeast of San Diego, with a north-northwest movement at 21 mph (33 kph).
The San Diego International Airport bore the brunt of the storm’s disruptions, with nearly 200 flights scheduled for Sunday canceled, and an additional 184 cancellations for Monday, according to the FlightAware website.
In response to the impending storm, Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles-based Dodgers and Angels adjusted their schedules, converting Sunday games into split doubleheaders held on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the city’s soccer teams, Los Angeles FC and LA Galaxy, both decided to postpone their Sunday matches due to the looming threat of heavy rains and flooding.
