CNN
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Residents of the Southwest are bracing for “devastating and life-threatening floods” as Hurricane Hillary is expected to hit the region from Saturday through next week as a rare tropical storm.
The hurricane weakened into a very dangerous Category 4 to Category 3 storm on Saturday. According to the National Hurricane Center. The storm remains a major hurricane, with sustained maximum winds reaching 125 miles per hour, according to the center.
The storm has picked up speed and is currently traveling 16 miles per hour and is now located 335 miles west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. Hillary is expected to continue weakening as it moves north-northwest through cooler waters toward Southern California.
The storm will move faster than expected and will affect the United States sooner. Heavy rains from storm flooding will start arriving in the Southwest on Saturday, well before the high winds in the center of Hillary. The winds could arrive as early as Sunday morning, with more heavy and dangerous rain likely, the newspaper said. National Hurricane Center.
“Hillary picked up a bit of speed and changed course slightly to the east. As a result, Sunday morning through Sunday evening will be the time of day with the greatest impact,” San Diego’s National Weather Service said.
The threat has caused California’s first-ever tropical storm warning to extend from the state’s southern border to just north of Los Angeles.
As Hillary moves forward, heavy rain is expected in the Southwest through early next week, with the heaviest rainfall coming Sunday through Monday. The flooding could bring more than a year’s worth of rain to parts of California, Nevada and Arizona.
Parts of Southern California and Nevada could get 3 to 6 inches of rain, and up to 10 inches in some places, the center said. Other regions are expected to have amounts of 1 to 3 inches.
Hillary’s core packs a powerful punch, but the NHC warned that strong winds and rain would start well before Hillary’s arrival.
The Hurricane Center said, “We need to complete preparations for the flooding effects of the rain as soon as possible, as heavy rainfall will intensify in front of the center on Saturday.” Said.
In anticipation of the storm, authorities in the region are beginning to prepare for dangerous road conditions, downed power infrastructure and dangerous flood conditions.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo announced on Friday that 100 National Guard soldiers would be deployed to southern Nevada, where major flooding could occur.
President Joe Biden said at a press conference Friday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is preemptively deploying personnel and supplies to respond in Southern California and other parts of the region if needed.
If Hillary made landfall in California as a tropical storm, it would be the first time in almost 84 years that it would make landfall in the state, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.
Parts of Southern California face high risk from excessive rainfall, and a Level 4/4 threat has been issued for the first time in the region. This level of risk is extremely rare. A study found that from 2010 to 2020, high-risk issued days averaged less than 4% per year, but caused 83% of all flood-related damage and 39% of all flood-related deaths There are consequences. weather forecast center is shown.
Due to the serious threat, the state prepared water rescue teams, the California National Guard and flood defense equipment ahead of Hillary’s arrival, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office announced Friday.
Highway maintenance workers will also be deployed around the clock to help keep the roads safe, the governor’s office said.
Power Company Southern California Edison – Serving more than 15 million people in the region – Said On Thursday, Hillary announced that she would affect most of her service area. The company says it is preparing to respond to power outages. called on residents Gather essentials such as flashlights, external chargers, and ice boxes.
Homeless communities are particularly at risk from flooding, so officials in Los Angeles and San Diego said they are conducting outreach and providing temporary shelter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it has plans for dangerous camps and is also making aerial broadcasts about the storm.
“We hope the storm did no damage and, more importantly, no loss of life,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference on Friday. “But we are prepared for the worst-case scenario, not only to help people here in the county, but if we are affected or unaffected, we will help other neighborhoods as needed. We intend to be a county resource.”
Mayor Todd Gloria said on Friday that the city of San Diego has also spent the last few days clearing storm drains, cleaning roads, and preparing facilities.
The threat of storms also prompted Major League Baseball to overhaul its weekend schedule in the region, altering Sunday’s games hosted by the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, and splitting them up on Saturday instead. We will have a double header. Sunday’s Major League Soccer match between the LA Galaxy and LAFC has been postponed until a later date.