For just the second time on record, parts of California are under a tropical storm watch.
Tropical Storm Rachel was spinning over the eastern Pacific early Saturday with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. Forecasters expect the storm to make landfall Sunday on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula as a tropical storm.
While a direct hit on Mexico remains the most likely scenario, Rachel's outer bands could bring tropical storm-force conditions to the San Diego area later this weekend. The tropical storm watch covers San Diego County.
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Portions of the Baja California coast are under a tropical storm warning.
Forecasters said tropical storm-force winds extend up to 125 miles from the storm's center. The National Hurricane Center said strong, gusty winds associated with the system are expected to spread across parts of the interior Southwest, particularly in higher-elevation areas.
The storm could also bring 1 to 3 inches of rain across parts of the Southwest, with isolated totals exceeding 5 inches.
Much of the Southwest is under wind advisories and flood watches.
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The only other time the National Hurricane Center issued tropical storm watches or warnings for the U.S. West Coast was during Hurricane Hilary in 2023. That storm also made landfall on Baja California and prompted tropical storm watches and warnings for the San Diego area.
Although Hilary brought heavy rain and strong winds to Southern California, it had weakened below tropical storm strength by the time it reached the region.
