Hurricane Hilary is a Category 4 storm; likely a tropical storm as it reaches California

Hurricane Hilary, now sporting winds of more than 145 mph, is expected to make landfall Friday afternoon on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula and then make its way into Southern California this weekend.

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The Category 4 storm will produce up to 6 inches of rain across Baja California through Sunday night, the National Hurricane Center said, adding there will likely be “damaging wind gusts” especially at higher elevations.

The 3 a.m. MDT update from the NHC called Hilary a “large and powerful” storm.

The storm was moving west-northwest at 13 mph. According to the advisory, Hilary was located about 400 miles south of Cabo San Lucas Friday morning. The storm is expected to make a northerly turn over the weekend.

The NHC says the hurricane will weaken to a tropical storm by the time it reaches Southern California.

However, heavy rainfall associated with Hilary is expected to impact the Southwestern United States through next Wednesday.

“Rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated amounts of 10 inches, are expected across portions of southern California and southern Nevada, which would lead to significant and rare impacts. Elsewhere across portions of the Western United States, rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected,” the NHC said in its update.

If Hilary hits the San Diego area as a tropical storm, it will be the first time that has happened since 1939.