CNN —Hurricane Hilary is expected to intensify into a lashing Category 4 storm as it nears Mexico’s Baja Peninsula on Friday and then weaken over the weekend, bringing rain and flooding to parts of the Southwest US.
The storm strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane Thursday evening and is likely to build into a powerful Category 4 on Friday, the advisory said.
Southern swaths of California and Nevada could see 3 to 5 inches of rain with isolated amounts of up to 10 inches.
Smaller amounts of 1 to 3 inches are expected across central parts of those states as well as across western Arizona and southwest Utah.
Parched Southwest may see brief reliefAs the rainfall passes through the Southwest, it may help combat prolonged drought and recharge depleted groundwater.
Persons:
Hilary, “, ” Daniel Swain
Organizations:
CNN, Southwest, National Hurricane Center, Southwestern, National Weather Service, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, US Drought Monitor, University of California
Locations:
Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Baja California Sur, California, Southwestern United States, Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, San Diego, Los Angeles, New Mexico, Valley , California, Death, floodwater