The tropics are heating up on the Pacific Ocean side of the continent, and now Hurricane Kay is keeping forecasters busy because it skirts the western coast of Mexico this week before potentially spreading rain into Southern California over the weekend.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for the southern Baja California Peninsula from Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lazaro on the Pacific side and from Cabo San Lucas to San Evaristo on the Gulf of California side.
Tropical storm watches are in effect farther north on the Baja Peninsula from north of Cabo San Lazaro to Punta Abreojos on the Pacific side and from north of San Evaristo to Santa Rosalia on the Gulf of California side.
A tropical storm watch means tropical-storm-force winds (at the very least 40 mph) are possible within the watch area inside 48 hours. A tropical storm warning means tropical-storm-force winds are expected within the warning area inside 36 hours.
As of Tuesday morning, Hurricane Kay was centered greater than 300 miles south of Mexico’s Baja California and was moving northwest at 10 to fifteen mph.
Kay’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at 85 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
The forecast track from the National Hurricane Center shows Hurricane Kay moving toward the northwest through Tuesday night, then making a slight turn toward the north-northwest on Wednesday and continuing in that direction through Friday.
On this path, the middle of Hurricane Kay is predicted to pass to the west of the southern Baja California Peninsula on Wednesday and approach the west-central coast of the Baja Peninsula on Thursday and Friday.
Strengthening is forecast in the course of the next 36 hours, and Kay could turn out to be a serious hurricane (Category 3 or stronger) during that point. Weakening is forecast to start by Thursday, but Kay is predicted to stay a powerful hurricane when it passes near Mexico’s Baja California.
“Interests north of the (tropical storm) watch area on the Baja California Peninsula should closely monitor the progress of Kay as Hurricane or tropical storm watches might be required later today,” the National Hurricane Center said.
No matter Hurricane Kay’s intensity, 4 to eight inches of rainfall is predicted across portions of western Mexico, including the Baja California Peninsula, through Thursday night. Isolated storm total amounts could approach 12 inches in some spots. These rainfall amounts may lead to life-threatening flash flooding, including landslides.
Tropical-storm-force winds (at the very least 40 mph) are expected inside the tropical storm warning area on the southern Baja California Peninsula starting Wednesday morning. Tropical-storm-force winds are then possible within the tropical storm watch area on the southern Baja Peninsula by late Wednesday.
Will Hurricane Kay impact Southern California?
In response to the FOX Forecast Center, Kay is forecast to make its closest approach to Southern California this weekend, and although the storm’s center of low pressure will likely remain offshore, some impacts could spread into the Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas from Saturday morning through Sunday evening.
“It’s forecast to maneuver to shut to San Diego after which curve west,” the National Weather Service in Los Angeles said in a forecast discussion. “There’s a possibility that this method will bring significant rainfall to portions of the world.”
The very best likelihood of heavier rain will likely be along the eastern slopes of the Southern California mountains, where it’s not out of the query that an inch or two of rain could fall this weekend.
Kay can also be expected to churn up the surf along the beaches of Southern California by Friday.
“Stronger swells generated by tropical cyclone Kay could bring higher surf and powerful rip and longshore currents to Orange County Friday and Saturday,” the NWS in San Diego noted in a forecast discussion.
The tropics are heating up on the Pacific Ocean side of the continent, and now Hurricane Kay is keeping forecasters busy because it skirts the western coast of Mexico this week before potentially spreading rain into Southern California over the weekend.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for the southern Baja California Peninsula from Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lazaro on the Pacific side and from Cabo San Lucas to San Evaristo on the Gulf of California side.
Tropical storm watches are in effect farther north on the Baja Peninsula from north of Cabo San Lazaro to Punta Abreojos on the Pacific side and from north of San Evaristo to Santa Rosalia on the Gulf of California side.
A tropical storm watch means tropical-storm-force winds (at the very least 40 mph) are possible within the watch area inside 48 hours. A tropical storm warning means tropical-storm-force winds are expected within the warning area inside 36 hours.
As of Tuesday morning, Hurricane Kay was centered greater than 300 miles south of Mexico’s Baja California and was moving northwest at 10 to fifteen mph.
Kay’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at 85 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
The forecast track from the National Hurricane Center shows Hurricane Kay moving toward the northwest through Tuesday night, then making a slight turn toward the north-northwest on Wednesday and continuing in that direction through Friday.
On this path, the middle of Hurricane Kay is predicted to pass to the west of the southern Baja California Peninsula on Wednesday and approach the west-central coast of the Baja Peninsula on Thursday and Friday.
Strengthening is forecast in the course of the next 36 hours, and Kay could turn out to be a serious hurricane (Category 3 or stronger) during that point. Weakening is forecast to start by Thursday, but Kay is predicted to stay a powerful hurricane when it passes near Mexico’s Baja California.
“Interests north of the (tropical storm) watch area on the Baja California Peninsula should closely monitor the progress of Kay as Hurricane or tropical storm watches might be required later today,” the National Hurricane Center said.
No matter Hurricane Kay’s intensity, 4 to eight inches of rainfall is predicted across portions of western Mexico, including the Baja California Peninsula, through Thursday night. Isolated storm total amounts could approach 12 inches in some spots. These rainfall amounts may lead to life-threatening flash flooding, including landslides.
Tropical-storm-force winds (at the very least 40 mph) are expected inside the tropical storm warning area on the southern Baja California Peninsula starting Wednesday morning. Tropical-storm-force winds are then possible within the tropical storm watch area on the southern Baja Peninsula by late Wednesday.
Will Hurricane Kay impact Southern California?
In response to the FOX Forecast Center, Kay is forecast to make its closest approach to Southern California this weekend, and although the storm’s center of low pressure will likely remain offshore, some impacts could spread into the Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas from Saturday morning through Sunday evening.
“It’s forecast to maneuver to shut to San Diego after which curve west,” the National Weather Service in Los Angeles said in a forecast discussion. “There’s a possibility that this method will bring significant rainfall to portions of the world.”
The very best likelihood of heavier rain will likely be along the eastern slopes of the Southern California mountains, where it’s not out of the query that an inch or two of rain could fall this weekend.
Kay can also be expected to churn up the surf along the beaches of Southern California by Friday.
“Stronger swells generated by tropical cyclone Kay could bring higher surf and powerful rip and longshore currents to Orange County Friday and Saturday,” the NWS in San Diego noted in a forecast discussion.
