Hurricane Kay

By Mary O’KEEFE

We have only one more day of blistering heat, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“There will be a drop off in temperature,” said Ryan Kattell, NOAA meteorologist. “Friday will be [about] 105 [degrees Fahrenheit] then Saturday we will see 85 degrees.”

We aren’t expected to see much of a cool off on Friday night – just in the low 80s – but beginning Saturday the temperature should be a little cooler and we may see some rain. The amount is difficult to predict, Kattell said.

“Right now there are complicated factors,” he said.

The complications come from Hurricane Kay that is now making its way toward Baja, California and portions of mainland northwestern Mexico through Saturday morning.

“Hurricane conditions are expected along portions of the west-central Baja California coast on Thursday and Thursday night, and a hurricane warning is in effect for the area,” according to NOAA.

Hurricanes affecting California are rare. Hurricane Linda in 1997 was, for a while, thought to be coming to the coast of California; however, it turned back out into the ocean. There were some tropical storms in 1939 that did make it to land; however, Hurricane Kay is a little different.

“[Kay] is extremely rare in following this track and getting [so] close to [landfall],” Kattell said. “In recorded history no storm has taken a track like this.”

To review: We’ve experienced unusually high dew points/humidity, followed by record-breaking high temperatures and now a hurricane. Ah, the good ole days when all we had to worry about was riptides and earthquakes.

There does appear to be some rain coming brought by the hurricane to Southern California. San Diego will definitely see rain; however, for the Los Angeles area it is not clear how much rain will fall. It can be from ¼-to-one inch of rain. There will be wind as well, similar to Santa Anas, that will cause a drying effect … but there will be rain, too.

“The rain will punch through the drying effect of the wind,” Kattell added. “We are still looking at the numbers.”

The actual center of the hurricane will stay off the coast so it’s not expected to be like those old silent era films of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplain fighting against the winds – but there will be some winds. (For those who don’t know who Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplain are: for goodness sakes, look them up!]

It is important to take weather warnings seriously. NOAA continues to track Hurricane Kay as it makes its way toward the California coast.

Saturday still shows a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a “chance of showers and thunderstorms” through Sunday. Temperatures will remain in the high 80s. The chance of rain decreases on Monday and on Tuesday it’s expected to be clear with highs in the mid 80s.