(LOS ANGELES) Tropical Storm Hilary has ventured across the US-Mexico border into California, marking a remarkable meteorological event as the first tropical storm to grace the Golden State since Nora in 1997.
In an astonishing turn of events, Hilary has only become the fourth tropical storm of its caliber or stronger to traverse through the territory. The tempest’s fiercest gusts and torrential downpours are presently making their way further inland, although it is expected to gradually weaken. Nonetheless, it’s poised to unleash a potentially catastrophic deluge of rain as it charts its course through California en route to Nevada. In an intriguing twist, should Hilary endure the arduous journey to Nevada, it could etch its name into the annals as the first tropical system ever recorded in the state.
California seldom finds itself within the crosshairs of tropical systems due to the mitigating factors of typically cooler waters hugging its coastlines, which effectively starve these storms of the sustenance they require to maintain their potency. More often than not, these systems meet their demise in Mexican waters or simply dissipate before encroaching upon the United States.
However, Hilary proved to be an anomaly in the meteorological arena. Originally categorized as a formidable Category 4 hurricane just last week, it exhibited exceptional speed and resilience, allowing it to retain a semblance of its power by the time it reached California’s doorstep.
