Your SoCal Weather Report For August 16-18: Latest Forecast On Hurricane Hilary
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It’s Friday and we’re bringing you the latest updates on Hurricane Hilary. Forecast models from the National Weather Service show its moving northwest off the coast of Baja California and could bring heavy showers and winds as a tropical storm to the eastern part of L.A. County as early as this weekend.
Quick Facts
Along the coast today, highs will be in the upper 70s and in the upper 80s in Downtown L.A. In the valleys, highs will be mid to upper 90s, up to 100 degrees in the western San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. Orange County will see slightly lower temperatures, between 84 and 90 degrees.
Inland areas, meanwhile, will stay in the upper 90s, and over in the low desert, temperatures could hit 110.
Despite the heat, it’s still not a good time to wash your car. And heads up — it’s going to be a humid weekend.
Hurricane Hilary forecast
An update on Hurricane Hilary — it’s currently moving northwest off the coast of Baja California and will approach Southern California waters over the weekend.
While the National Weather Service says there’s still lots of uncertainty on the exact path of Hilary, we still need to be on alert.
“There will be an expansive area of impacts, talking about heavy rains, flooding, coastal flooding, large ocean swells as well as very steep wind waves… and we’re also talking about strong winds, potentially damaging winds over portions of Southern Californian, especially the mountainous terrain,” said Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service Oxnard office.
For now, expect between 2 to 5 inches of rain if the storm hits Southern California. Recently burned areas are especially susceptible to flooding.
“It’s going to be damaging for Baja California and produce heavy rainfall, very damaging winds, as it’s moving up along the coast,” meteorologist Todd Hall said.
About those advisories
Here are the areas under flood watch starting this weekend until Monday afternoon.
A marine weather statement has been issued for coastal waters from Santa Barbara to Point Mugu in Malibu. Patchy fog will make it hard for mariners out there. Large waves up to 9 feet could be possible , as is flooding in low-lying areas. The last tropical storm was in 1939, which mainly impacted Long Beach and brought five inches of rainfall to downtown L.A.
Closures
As Hurricane Hilary inches closer to Southern California, some areas of Joshua Tree National Park will be closed starting today.
Park rangers are closing areas vulnerable to flooding for the weekend until the storm passes and they’re advising the public against driving Geology Tour Road, which is located in the center of the park.
Rangers are also advising people to reconsider outdoor activities this weekend. Backpacking won’t be allowed. If you do visit, be prepared to turn around and be on the alert for lightning.
YOUR GUIDE TO LA RAIN
Here’s what you need to know when storms hit Southern California:
Staying safe in the heat
Protect a pet from excessive heat
Protect a human from excessive heat
Check in frequently with family, friends, and neighbors. Offer assistance or rides to those who are sick or have limited access to transportation. And give extra attention to people most at risk, including:
This day in history
On Aug. 19, 1983, it was the last day of Hurricane Ismael where over 3 inches of rain fell over Palm Springs during the 3-day storm.
Things to do
Check out our full list of things to do this weekend.
What questions do you have about Southern California?
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