In the United States, Hurricane Hilary is expected to slam into Southern California later on 20th August 2023 as a rare tropical storm, unleashing floods, fierce winds, and heavy downpours. Tens of millions of people are under a tropical storm warning.
The National Hurricane Center said Hilary is expected to weaken to a tropical storm before it reaches the US, but it will still likely pack a powerful punch in the Southwest. The National Weather Service has warned of catastrophic and life-threatening flooding with strong winds that may uproot trees and disrupt power lines. Residents have been asked to evacuate,
parks and beaches and first responders brace for water rescues.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for a large swath of Southern California to support hurricane response and recovery efforts.
The storm is expected to enter the history books as the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years.
A hurricane warning is also in effect in Mexico from Punta Abreojos to Cabo San Quintin, a roughly 300-mile stretch along the Baja California Peninsula’s western shore.