Mexico City.- Hilary was downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall in Baja California as a category 1 hurricane this Sunday and advancing north of the Gulf of California, United States, reported the National Weather Service (SMN).
In its most recent report, the SMN reported that at 9:00 a.m. Central Mexico time (3:00 p.m. GMT), Hilary became a tropical storm and headed north-northeast at a speed of 41 kilometers per hour.
The meteorological phenomenon maintains sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour and gusts of 140 kilometers per hour, according to the SMN.
Faced with this situation, the SMN, in coordination with the National Hurricane Center of Miami, United States, modified the prevention zone due to tropical storm effects from Puerto San Andresito, Baja California Sur, to the northern border with the United States. and from Loreto, Baja California Sur, to Guaymas, Sonora.
The tropical storm will continue to cause “heavy” rains in Baja California, in addition to “very heavy” rains in Baja California Sur and northwestern Sonora, as well as “heavy” rains in Chihuahua, Durango, Nayarit and Zacatecas.
In addition, gusts of wind of 100 to 120 kilometers per hour and waves of 4 to 6 meters are expected on the western coasts of Baja California, the coast of Sonora and the north of the Gulf of California; gusts of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour and waves of 2 to 4 meters high on the western coast of Baja California Sur and the northern coast of Sinaloa.
While gusts of 80 to 100 kilometers per hour are forecast in northwestern Sonora, as well as a storm surge on the western coasts of Baja California and the northern Gulf of California.
The meteor, which moves along the Mexican Pacific coast, has caused heavy rains in a large part of the country, especially in the western and northern states of Mexico, and has alerted the federal authorities, who have established the orange and yellow alert for the states of Baja California and Baja California Sur.
In addition, on Saturday it claimed its first fatality, as a man who was traveling in a vehicle with his family, in the municipality of Mulegé, Baja California Sur, died after being dragged while trying to cross a stream, which grew due to the rains caused by hilary.
To date, seven named cyclones have formed in the current Pacific hurricane season: Adrian, Beatriz, Calvin, Dora, Eugene, Fernanda, and Greg, none with damage in Mexico.
The Government of Mexico forecast in May the formation of up to 38 named cyclones in the 2023 season, of which 5 would impact the country.
Of that number, between 16 and 22 systems could occur in the Pacific Ocean, and between 10 and 16 in the Atlantic.
