Hurricane Hilary Expected To Impact Los Cabos – What Travelers Should Know

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Last Updated 9 months ago

Hilary is on her way for a quick vacation in Los Cabos this Friday and unfortunately, she’s going to pack quite a punch.

Hilary is now a hurricane and Los Cabos will feel her effects.

Hilary Headed Up the Baja Coast

It’s hard to say at the time of this article exactly what cities Hilary plans to torment on her vacation as she is expected to brush up the Baja California peninsula before heading inward to Southern California and Arizona.

Current projection is that Hurricane Hilary will have winds expected to pack a punch near 120 miles per hour.

The National Hurricane Center in the United States is calling for Hilary to become a category three hurricane. Meanwhile, the National Water Commission (Conagua) in Mexico expects it to be only a category two as it spins by Los Cabos.

The good news currently is that Hilary is projected to remain about 330 miles off the coast of Los Cabos and weaken as she proceeds north.

Weakened Landfall Potential in Southern California

Some news outlets, such as NBC, are projecting that the eventual landfall of Hilary will be somewhere in Southern California, near San Diego or Los Angeles, a much weaker storm with winds only around 45 miles per hour.

However, it is expected to still be a strong tropical storm as it impacts the coastal areas of Southern California on Monday morning.

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The Impact of Hilary

But don’t let the fact that it is expected to remain off the Baja California coast put your mind fully to rest.

Los Cabos is expected to feel the dramatic impact of the expected category three hurricane as it spins by Los Cabos on Friday, heading north.

Most of the strongest winds are currently expected to stay offshore. However, there is a slight current chance that winds in Los Cabos will gust about 60 miles per hour.

It is also unclear exactly what amount of rain is expected in Los Cabos. However, heavy rainfall is expected on Friday.

The biggest impact from Hilary is going to be the waves. High waves and dangerous rip current conditions will most likely require Los Cabos officials to post red flags on area beaches.

The biggest impact will be on beaches with southwest to west orientation. There may also be coastal erosion of sand due to the conditions as well.

What Travelers Should Expect

There will be a number of expected impacts on Los Cabos visitors.

Those in Los Cabos on Friday should plan for the potential of strong winds and heavy rain. Depending on the turn of Hilary up the coast, there is a potential for flooding rain.

The good news is that the hotels and resorts in Los Cabos have been preparing for the impact of a hurricane for many months and have extensive emergency plans in place.

Tourists should anticipate that most of the area beaches will be red-flagged and off-limits to any visitors. They should avoid visiting the beaches for their own safety.

Visitors planning on using the Los Cabos International Airport on Friday should prepare for substantial flight delays and numerous flight cancellations. This will affect both arrivals and departures.

The airport may even need to close temporarily depending on the path Hilary decides to take.