BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Hurricane Hilary continues to make its way to southern California, threatening severe impacts to Kern county.
As of 5 p.m. Hilary remains a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 100 miles per hour.
Through the evening, the storm will move up the coast of Baja California, weakening to a category 1 hurricane as it reaches cooler waters by 11 p.m. on Saturday night.
While the storm's eye is far off, the impacts already begun in southern California.
Scattered showers have already hit southeastern parts of the state, and in Kern county our desert and mountain communities are already dealing with rain and thunderstorms, and the storm is just beginning.
Thunderstorms and heavy rainfall are expected to last through the evening and all day on Sunday.
The storm will spare no one in Kern county through Sunday afternoon through the evening.
Lingering rain and thunderstorms could be possible on Monday with rain totals reaching more than 1" in Bakersfield.
We could see over 4" of rain in the deserts and mountains.
With the major rain totals, an areal flood watch remains in effect across eastern Kern through Friday and threatens of mudslides and rock slides are possible as well.
We are continuing to track this storm through the night, so be sure to stay up to date and stay safe.
