Hurricane Hilary: Baja California Expecting Extensive Flooding, Heavy Rainfall

Hurricane Hilary is expected to hit Baja California. Based on forecasts, the West Coast of the Baja California peninsula could experience extensive flooding and heavy rainfall.

Hurricane Hilary: Baja California Expects Extensive Flooding, Heavy Rainfall

According to USA Today's latest report, Hurricane Hilary will still be a hurricane when it reaches Baja California.

As of writing, it is in category 4 status. But, once it arrives in the Southern California region, it is expected to weaken into a tropical storm.

Scott Homan, an AccuWeather meteorologist, said that some parts of Southern California could experience the hurricane's impact as early as Saturday, Aug. 19.

"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," he explained.

Because of concerns, some parts of the region placed a tropical storm watch for the first time. Places include the California-Mexico border, the Orange-Los Angeles County Line, and Catalina Island.

Many California residents are already preparing for the hurricane's arrival. Emergency responders in Seal Beach and Coachella Valley are giving out sandbags in case of severe flooding.

Meanwhile, other emergency workers are re-enforcing sand berm, which is used to protect low-lying coast communities.

Preparing for Hurricane Hilary

(Photo: JOEL COSIO/AFP via Getty Images) A car rides through a flooded street during the passage of tropical storm Olaf in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, on September 10, 2021. - Tropical storm Olaf swept across Mexico's Baja California peninsula on Friday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the major beach resorts of Los Cabos before losing its hurricane force.

If you are living in Baja California or other areas in Southern California that will be affected by Hurricane Hilary, it is important to prepare.

You need to know the things you can do to protect yourself and your family in case of severe flooding and extreme rainfall.

Luckily, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided things you need to do:

Prepare an emergency supply kit.
Make sure that you already saved the needed emergency phone numbers; write them down or save them on your phone.
Check the nearest shelter in case of evacuation.
Gather all the necessary supplies you can get; food, water, medicine, flashlights, etc.
Make sure that your car's gas tank is filled. This will help you if you need to bring your family to a safer location.

If you want to learn more details on how to prepare for a hurricane, you can click this link.