Some good news, some bad news. Good news, So. Cal and some southwestern states are about to receive always- appreciated water; bad news, it's coming in the form of a flooding deluge, whipped by hurricane force winds. "Hurricane Hilary has rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm off the western coast of Mexico with winds of 145 mph, and it’s headed toward Southern California and the Southwest U.S., with heavy rain and potentially strong winds. While Hilary is likely to weaken below hurricane strength as it moves north, it could become only the third ever tropical system to make landfall in California, the first since 1939, and could remain a tropical depression as far north as Oregon." The storm could bring severe conditions to the region between Saturday and Wednesday, peaking Sunday and Monday. Flood watches go into effect Saturday for much of Southern California, southern Nevada, western Arizona and southwest Utah, including the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs and Las Vegas, as confidence increases that there will be excessive amounts of rain. Some desert locations are bracing for more than a year’s worth of rain that could fall in one to three days. https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/08/18/hurricane-hilary-southern-california-rain-forecast/
Was this storm named after the famed climber or the never-to-be-President loser that was named after the climber?
does anyone know what this is going to do to lake mead? I know it’s up in the air but would 6 inches of rain do anything to lake meads water level.
It will definitely be beneficial although it probably have relatively little impact on the deficit in the reservoir (at least according to the way that I read the analysis). https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local...hilary-could-mean-for-lake-mead-water-levels/
I think most of the watershed for Lake Mead is to the north and east of the lake. So the storm would need to move east of the Sierra mountains.
Don't know exactly but I think it has something to do with ocean temp. In the winter rainy season, we've seen a number of "atmospheric rivers" in recent years. I hadn't ever heard of one until I moved out here.
I wonder if that's still true? When we visited Los Angeles I nearly froze my toes off at the beach. Maybe the natives are acclimated, I grew up with the warm tub that is the Gulf of Mexico. My husband, who's traveled all over C. and S. America, said it doesn't really warm up until Acapulco.
For those interested. Hurricane Facts: Hurricane Facts 1. The first condition is that ocean waters must be above 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). Below this threshold temperature, hurricanes will not form or will weaken rapidly once they move over water below this threshold. Ocean temperatures in the tropical East Pacific and the tropical Atlantic routinely surpass this threshold. National Data Buoy Center: National Data Buoy Center Tropical Tidbits: Current Storm Information | Tropical Tidbits
There is current that flows south from the Gulf of Alaska down the west coast. That accounts for the colder ocean temps (and the coastal fog that often happens). If there were a western gulf stream carrying warm water northward up the west coast, it would be a different story. The prevailing westerlies also play a role as most of CA's precip comes in off the ocean from a west or northwest direction. The exception is the normal summer monsoon flow from the tropic and events like this when a storm moves in from Mexico.
My 2 sons and oldest grandson are in Cabo right now. They went down there the beginning of this week for a weeks stay for ocean SCUBA training and certification. Said the course work and ocean dives are now on hold, all boats confined to harbor. I asked what the temperature of the Pacific is right now. Was told it's 88 or 89. They will extend their trip a few extra days to complete their certification and make some more dives.
