Hurricane Hilary reduced to still-powerful classification 3, acquires speed towards Baja California

SAN FRANCISCO-- Hurricane Hilary is heading towards Baja California, and it could bring heavy rain to the southwestern U.S. by the weekend. There will be a risk of flooding rains throughout Southern California from Sunday through Tuesday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center stated a tropical storm watch has actually been released for Southern California, the first time that has ever been done.
LIVE: Tracking Hilary'& #x 27; s present path as it approaches CA TYPHOON HILARYTyphoon Hilary has been devalued to a still-major Category 3 storm as its headed for Mexico'& #x 27; s Baja California Saturday evening. The U.S. National Hurricane Center predicted "" life-threatening and catastrophic flooding"" for the peninsula and for the southwestern United States, where it was anticipated to cross the border as a hurricane on Sunday. Authorities as far north as Los Angeles rushed to get the homeless off the streets, established shelters and prepare for evacuations.
Hilary is expected to rake into Mexico'& #x 27; s Baja peninsula on Saturday night. Hurricane Hilary "" has sped up a bit, together with a minor shift eastward in its track,"" as it got speed, moving toward Baja California, according to the National Weather Service Saturday morning. "" This leads to Sunday morning through Sunday night being the time frame of a lot of effect, together with a little weaker winds."".
Early on Saturday, the storm was focused about 235 miles (375 kilometers) west of the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. It was moving north-northwest at 16 mph (26 kph) and was expected to turn more towards the north and gain ground.
The latest forecast track indicated Hilary making landfall along a sparsely populated location of the Baja peninsula at a point about 200 miles (330 kilometers) south of the Pacific port city of Ensenada.
It is then expected to continue northward up the peninsula, raising fears that its heavy rains could cause dangerous flooding in the border city of Tijuana, where lots of houses in the city of 1.9 million cling precariously to high hillsides.
Hilary will quickly damage as it gets in cooler ocean waters and connects with the mountain surface of Baja California Sunday.
The current track has Hilary moving into Southern California late Sunday into Monday as a hurricane. Potentially devastating and life-threatening flooding is possible. For the very first time ever, Tropical Storm Warnings have gone up for Southern California.
No hurricane has actually made landfall in Southern California because Sept. 25, 1939, according to the National Weather Service.
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OCEAN TEMPERATURES

Hurricanes need ocean temperature levels above 80 degrees to make it through. Hilary is presently being in 85-degree water and will remain in those warm waters through Saturday. As Hilary moves closer to Baja California, ocean temperatures will quickly cool into the 70s and eventually the 60s along the California coast.
That temperature level drop might not look like a lot however ocean temperature levels in the 70s will basically eliminate Hilary and water in the 60s will never ever support a tropical system. Thus, we see an extremely quick weakening as the system approaches the California-Mexico border.
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HEAVY RAIN THREAT IN SOCAL

The moisture from Hilary will bring the possibility of extreme flooding in Southern California.
The National Weather Service released a flood watch that will be in effect beginning at 11am tomorrow through Monday evening throughout San Diego and Los Angeles counties. Rain amounts of 3 to 6 inches, with separated quantities of 10 inches, are anticipated throughout parts of southern California and southern Nevada, which would result in unusual and substantial effects. Elsewhere throughout portions of the Western United States, rains overalls of 1 to 3 inches are anticipated.
Rough surf and strong winds will also affect Southern California.

CENTRAL VALLEY IMPACTS

The Central Valley is forecasted to have residues of rain and thunder from Hurricane Hilary by Monday and Tuesday.
Parts of the South Valley could initially experience rains by Monday morning. The rest of the Central Valley will see a possibility of thunderstorms by Monday afternoon.
Projected rain overalls continue to alter as the Valley is still a few days out of the storm, with the possibility of Hilary also downgrading.

BAY AREA IMPACTS

RELATED: Hurricane Hilary: Bay Area not likely to see serious weather from storm as it takes objective at SoCal.
The existing track of Hilary keeps the bulk of the moisture in Southern California and the Sierra but, we still have a possibility of seeing separated showers here Sunday and a chance of showers Monday. Remnants of Hilary will bring higher humidity and tropical cloud cover in between Sunday and early next week.
We will keep track of the track of this storm and any small shifts would indicate an increased chance of rain here. That is something we will tweak in the coming days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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