Hurricane Hilary was gaining strength Thursday as it slowly moved northward off the coast of Baja California on a still-uncertain path that will bring heavy rain and potentially flooding to the Los Angeles area, with precipitation possibly beginning as early as Saturday night but peaking Sunday into Monday.

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures will begin cooling starting Thursday thanks to a growing onshore flow that will deepen the marine layer. Patches of dense fog engulfed some coastal areas Thursday morning, and forecasters said temperatures will likely be three to six degrees lower than they were Wednesday.

Valley areas will still reach into the triple digits, while the coasts will top out in the 70s, according to the NWS.

But all eyes will remain on Hilary, which developed from a tropical storm into a hurricane overnight. It is expected to continue gaining strength, possibly becoming a category four as it moves north over the next two days. However, by the time it reaches Southern California, it is expected to weaken back to a category one or even below hurricane or tropical storm levels, but the Southern California will still have to cope with the remnants of the storm.

According to the NWS, some moisture from the storm remnants could potentially reach eastern Los Angeles County on Saturday, with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday afternoon and evening that could reach into some valley areas.
The exact path of the storm remains uncertain, but NWS forecasts anticipate the bulk of the moisture arriving in the area between Sunday and Monday, bringing humid conditions with “widespread shower activity.”