>>> WELL, THIS IS ODD. PARTS OF CALIFORNIA WILL SEE A RARE AUGUST RAINFALL THANKS TO A HURRICANE. TROPICAL STORM HILLARY INTENSIFIED TO A HURRICANE STATUS THIS MORNING AS IT CHURNS OFF MEXICO'S PACIFIC COASTLINE. IT'S CARRYING STRONG WEATHER WITH IT THAT COULD HIT THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA. CYNTHIA, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME WE SAW A HURRICANE GET THIS CLOSE TO OUR STATE? >> IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. RESEARCH SAYS 1939, AN UNNAMED HURRICANE HIT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. BUT LOOKING AT HILLARY'S TRACK, IT IS EXPECTED TO WEEKEN TO A TROPICAL STORM AS IT GETS CLOSER TO SAN DIEGO, TO THE L.A. REGION AND THE DESERT. WHERE IS IT NOW? WHAT COULD THOSE IMPACTS BE? RIGHT NOW STILL A CATEGORY 2. IT'S BARRELING WEST-NORTHWEST AT ABOUT 14 MILES AN HOUR THERE. AS IT CONTINUES TO GO INTO FRIDAY, IT COULD REACH CATEGORY 3, CATEGORY 4 BY THE TIME IT GETS TO SO CAL AROUND SUNDAY ON INTO MONDAY. THE REMNANTS OF THIS SYSTEM PACKING A PUNCH, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING. COULD BRING STRONG WINDS, POSSIBILITY FOR SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF RAINFALL, TOO, INTO THE MOUNTAINS, ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 7 INCHES OF RAIN. THERE HAVE BEEN FLOOD WATCHES IN EFFECT NOW THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK THOSE REMNANTS COULD ARRIVE TO THE BAY AREA, BUT THAT TRACK HERE THAT WE'RE NOTICING IS PUSHING THAT OFF A LITTLE BIT TO OUR SOUTH AND TO OUR EAST WITH TRACE AMOUNTS OF RAIN AND ACTIVITY. >> LOOKS LIKE THE SIERRA COULD GET SOME RAINFALL. >> OH, YEAH. >> WE WILL SEE THE REMNANTS OF THIS HURRICANE. COULD THE BAY AREA EVER SEE A HURRICANE MAKE LANDFALL, OR IS THAT JUST NOT POSSIBLE? WE'RE TOO FAR NORTH? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. CALIFORNIA CAN GET A RANGE OF SEVERE WEALTH EVER. WE HAVE SEEN THUNDERSTORMS, LIGHTNING, HAIL, SOME TORNADOES HAPPEN ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR. THE CONDITIONS HAVE TO BE JUST RIGHT. IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. I WANT TO SAY ALMOST NEAR IMPOSSIBLE FOR CALIFORNIA, THE BAY AREA SPECIFICALLY TO GET A HURRICANE. THERE'S A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT. THE WATER HERE IS TOO COLD. OUR WATERS AROUND THE BAY -- WE NEED 80 DEGREES OR MORE. OURS ARE USUAL IN THE 50s. SO VERY, VERY CHILLY. WITHOUT THAT WARM WATER WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EVAPORATION AND MOISTURE IN THE AIR TO FUEL THE STORM, JANELLE, AND WE DON'T SEE THOSE WINDS COMING TOGETHER AND CONVERGING FORCING THE MOIST AIR UPWARDS. HURRICANE DEVELOPMENT VERY RARE AT OUR SHORELINE, OF COURSE. ONCE A HURRICANE DOES HIT LIKE IT'S EXPECTED TO TO OUR SOUTH, IT WILL WEAKEN OVER LAND, ESSENTIALLY DYING AS A HURRICANE. BUT WE'LL READ UP ON THOSE FINER DETAILS AS THAT WEEKEND FORECAST GETS CLOSER. >> DEFINITELY STRANGE, THOUGH. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MAKING A
