Tropical Storm Hilary was declared a hurricane Thursday morning and forecasters warn that it will likely make landfall on the Southwest coast of the United States after this weekend, ABC News reports.
Forecasters warn that the storm is headed towards Southern California, where it will likely cause heavy rain, flash flooding, strong winds, and mudslides near the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas.
Hilary formed about 470 miles off the coast of Mexico on Wednesday and is expected to become a Category 3 or higher hurricane by the end of Thursday. Forecasters predict the storm will weaken over the weekend once it moves over colder waters. ABC News notes that a tropical storm hasn’t made landfall in California since 1939.
"This does have the potential to be a pretty big deal as far as summer weather goes," UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain told SFGATE on Wednesday. "There's a slight chance that Southern California [could] see its first land-falling tropical system in nearly a century. I still think that's not the likeliest outcome, but I'd say there's at least a 10 or 20% chance that happens — so not negligible. And regardless, I would expect significant rain, wind and surf impacts, even assuming it doesn't actually make landfall as an intact tropical or post tropical system."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.