NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft fly over Hurricane Ida in 2021. Photo Credit: Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Doremus, NOAA Corps
by John Konrad (gCaptain) San Diego is taking necessary precautions by shutting down harbor pilot operations in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Hilary. Captain Bill Bartsch, President of the San Diego Bay Pilot Association, told gCaptain, “To ensure the safety of our port, pilots, and pilot boat, we are standing down.”
Cargo ship operations in the port are scheduled to halt from Sunday 11:00 AM to Monday 12:00 PM, but those times are subject to further adjustments based on the hurricane’s progression.
Although it remains uncertain whether the conditions will become too hazardous for ships to enter the port, pilots must board incoming vessels using a rope ladder. These conditions are anticipated to make boarding and disembarkation risky. “Safety remains our utmost priority. We will resume service as soon as conditions allow,” Bartsch stated. The shipping community is encouraged to stay updated and comprehend the challenges these closures present.
Also Read: Hurricane Hilary Intensifies as Storm Charts Path to California
These precautionary measures pertain to commercial ships that necessitate the expertise of harbor pilots. The US Coast Guard Captain of the Port has not mandated the closure of the port to government vessels, navy ships, or any ship in distress.
Hurricane Hilary, a formidable Category 4 storm, is currently positioned about 400 miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. With winds reaching up to 145 mph, Hilary escalated from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in a mere 24 hours. Projections indicate that it might momentarily hit Category 5 status before encountering colder waters and weakening.
Mexico’s Baja California peninsula remains under hurricane and tropical storm watches as Hilary’s trajectory approaches California this weekend. The National Hurricane Center highlighted that the storm’s exact path could lead to varied forecasts for rain and wind severity in the US.
Historically speaking, if Hilary were to make landfall in California as a tropical storm, it would be the first time in almost 84 years. The National Hurricane Center recently issued its first-ever tropical storm watch for parts of Southern California.
.@NWS is carefully tracking Hurricane #Hilary and the dangerous weather it's expected to bring to Mexico and the southwestern U.S. Take this storm seriously! Check https://t.co/RzyiIU9fB0 and https://t.co/mhjKxR0cWQ for the latest. pic.twitter.com/MI0rVG7A9c
— NWS Director (@NWSDirector) August 18, 2023
Beyond wind threats, heavy rainfall poses severe concerns, particularly for flooding. Research from the Weather Prediction Center indicates that the chances for excessive rainfall are linked to a significant majority of flood-related damages and deaths. Parts of California and Nevada could receive up to 10 inches of rain in isolated regions. This influx could equate to several years of rain for some of California’s driest regions.
The potential for prolonged rain further exacerbates flooding risks. Residents from San Diego to Los Angeles are advised to be prepared for potential heavy rainfalls but it’s to early to tell if other Southern California ports like Los Angeles and Long Beach – which are about 100 miles north of San Diego and are significantly larger in terms of cargo facilities and throughput – will need to suspend operations.
In other weather news, the Atlantic Ocean is also witnessing increased tropical activity. Four areas of concern stretch across the basin, with the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters being a prime location for tropical development. Three other regions in the tropical Atlantic are being monitored for potential storm formation.
Ships entering Californian waters are advised to stay updated with weather advisories and prioritize safety above all else.
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