- Tropical Storm Karina has strengthened into a hurricane in the Pacific, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane.
- Forecasters warn Karina could become a major storm this week, with potential to reach Category 3.
- Karina is located about 820 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, moving northwest at 15 mph, and is not threatening land.
- Tropical Storm Lowell is holding steady on a westward track, forecast to pass south of Hawaii as a strong hurricane.
- Karina continues to strengthen, reaching Category 3 with 125 mph winds, while Lowell is expected to become a hurricane by Monday night or Tuesday.
- Forecasters expect Karina to peak as a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds Monday and Tuesday, then gradually weaken over the open ocean.
- The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency urges residents to monitor Lowell, as the Big Island recovers from Hurricane Lala.
- A separate tropical disturbance off Baja California could develop into a hurricane and potentially affect Southern California, with El Niño fueling warmer ocean temperatures.
Hurricane Karina has rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, moving west at 9 mph. The storm is currently located about 985 miles west-southwest of Baja California and is not threatening land.267
Swells from Karina are expected to create dangerous surf and rip currents along parts of southwest Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lowell is located about 900 miles east-southeast of Hilo, packing maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. It is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane by Monday night or Tuesday, moving west at 12 mph.5
The National Hurricane Center indicates that both storms are influenced by the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, which is causing warmer ocean temperatures in the Eastern Pacific.9
According to meteorologists, the potential for tropical storms to impact Southern California is heightened, with a 90% chance of a tropical depression forming in the next week.
The last tropical storm to make landfall in California was in 1939, but recent systems have brought significant rainfall, as seen with Hilary in August 2023.
“Karina is currently about 820 miles southwest of Baja California, moving northwest at 15 mph, and is not threatening land. Meanwhile, Lowell is expected to become a hurricane by Monday night or Tuesday, and Hawaii officials urge residents to prepare as the Big Island recovers from Hurricane Lala.”
The Independent
