Eye-popping satellite photo shows Tropical Storm Kay over Southern California
Hurricane-force winds lashed the Central and Southern California coast in a storm surge up to 30 inches above the tide on Monday morning.
It is expected to become a major storm by Wednesday morning with hurricane-force winds along the coast and possibly a storm surge topping the tide of 12 to 16 feet.
The National Hurricane Center said in an advisory issued at 8:35 a.m. Sunday, “There may be no warning associated with this system as it is still developing, and its impacts are not expected to be destructive until it has strengthened significantly.
“For that reason, the greatest intensity is expected to occur in the very early morning hours before dawn on Wednesday (September 8) near or just north of the Mexican border,” the hurricane center said.
The storm had been moving north-northeast at 13 mph with maximum sustained winds of about 45 mph.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 100 miles from the center.
A weather spotter reported that the storm had produced storm-force winds at the San Ysidro border crossing on the Mexico side of the border, which is reported to have been closed.
The warning of a hurricane prompted the closure of the San Diego border crossing for the remainder of the day.
Storm surge warnings and advisories were in effect for much of SoCal and some warnings were in effect for parts of Ventura County, according to meteorologist Gary Kowalski.
“This storm is looking to develop into a major hurricane today, and there are hurricane warnings for the vast majority of the coast of SoCal from the Baja to the Santa Cruz,” Kowalski said.
“The winds are going to be strong, and the surge is going to be significant,” Kowalski said.
On Sunday night, the National Weather Service issued its final warning on Hurricane Florence to the extent that a hurricane was developing in the Atlantic waters.
“The final advisory for #Florence was issued on Sunday night, but I wanted to update the public on the current storm and wind effects. At this time (Sunday), the National Hurricane Center is advising heavy rain in South Carolina, including the #Oconee National