Although it’s expected to weaken by the time it makes landfall, Hurricane Hilary is gaining strength, expected to become a Category 4 storm before it’ll lose power prior to hitting the Los Angeles area, the Weather Channel reports.
It’s rare for a hurricane to hit the West Coast; the last storm believed to be of hurricane strength to hit California was an unnamed 1858 storm that struck San Diego. In 1997, Tropical Storm Nora became the last major storm to hit land on the West Coast.
Officials warn that southern Californians should be prepared for heavy rain and flash flooding as the storm hits the area, which is expected early next week, with rain reaching Tucson and Phoenix by Tuesday.