Southern California may see an unusual burst of tropical moisture this weekend as Hurricane Marie spins over the Pacific and helps funnel rain chances toward the region.
Marie became a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday evening, and forecasters expect it to move northward while maintaining that strength over the next several days.
The hurricane is forecast to gradually lose strength while remaining far offshore, hundreds of miles from the California coast.
Even so, some of its moisture may still reach land.
Winds high in the atmosphere could draw tropical moisture from Marie into Southern California, southern Nevada and the western Four Corners by the weekend, raising the chance for rain showers that could prove helpful in some areas.
At this point, the storm is not expected to cause flooding in Southern California.
For people heading to the beach, the main concern will be along the shoreline.
South-facing beaches may see elevated surf and dangerous rip currents, creating hazardous conditions for swimmers and surfers along the coast.
Marie is part of a busy week in the tropical Pacific, where three hurricanes are currently spinning across the basin.
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And while Marie has been getting plenty of attention in California, another storm is threatening to become a much bigger headache for Hawaii.
Hurricane Lowell has exploded into a powerful Category 4 storm with peak winds of 140 mph.
The hurricane was located south of Hilo, Hawaii, and is forecast to make a sharp turn north.
That could bring Lowell near Hawaii as a major hurricane early next week.
Kauai is currently considered the Hawaiian island most at risk, with nearby Niʻihau also being closely watched as the projected track shifts.
“Facilities are being readied so they can be activated, if necessary, before hazardous conditions arrive. However, several days out, it is too early to provide an exact opening date or time,” Meghan Wright, Public Information Officer for the County of Kauai, told The California Post.
Then there is Hurricane Karina, the Pacific’s other powerhouse.
The Category 3 storm had sustained winds near 115 mph Thursday and has looked particularly impressive on satellite images.
But Karina is expected to weaken quickly this weekend as it tracks north and east of Hawaii, staying safely over the open ocean.
For Southern California, the takeaway is far less ominous.
Marie is expected to stay well offshore, but its tropical moisture could still give the region a soaking this weekend while dangerous surf and rip currents threaten the beaches.
