AccuWeather alerts give advance notice for Hurricane Hilary

AccuWeather For Business alerted companies and communities earlier, with a more accurate track and intensity forecast for Hurricane Hilary’s rare California impact.

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AccuWeather For Business alerted companies and communities earlier, with a more accurate track and intensity forecast for Hilary’s rare California impact than all other sources.

Historic Hilary

AccuWeather’s expert meteorologists provided businesses in California and surrounding states with the most accurate, advanced notice and best-detailed impacts ahead of Tropical Storm Hilary’s rare impact on California. AccuWeather’s track was 7%, and intensity forecasts were 3% more accurate than the National Hurricane Center’s forecast. This information provided AccuWeather For Business clients with actionable insights to allow them to better prepare for as the storm moved closer. AccuWeather estimates $7 billion to $9 billion in damage and economic loss from Hilary, which will go down in history as one of the most significant tropical storms to affect California.

More Advance Notice 

AccuWeather alerted businesses days ahead of all other sources, including initiating a track map a day ahead of the National Hurricane Center (NHC). 

On Tuesday, Aug. 15, AccuWeather was the first to alert businesses to the unusual southwest United States tropical storm risk a day AHEAD of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and FOUR days AHEAD of its impacts. AccuWeather also boldly predicted that depending on the exact track, “extensive impacts could occur, including life-threatening flooding.”

On Wednesday, Aug. 16, AccuWeather was the ONLY source to forecast specific “flash flooding, washouts of roadways, mudslides and debris flows with rapidly rising waters.”At the same time, the NHC stated only “Hilary can bring impacts, but it is too soon to determine the location and magnitude of wind and rain.”

More Accurate Forecasts

AccuWeather accurately forecasted that certain areas would see over a year's worth of rain in just 24 hours. AccuWeather's experts also correctly predicted significant flooding, washouts, mudslides and debris flows, mainly north and east of the Los Angeles Basin. This was where AccuWeather stood alone in describing it as "a life-threatening flooding disaster."

AccuWeather's hurricane experts provided comprehensive maps for rainfall, maximum sustained winds, risk to lives and property and 11 other impact aspects. Through AccuWeather For Business exclusive AssetReport™, business customers gained the ability to quickly identify at-risk company assets, along with vital location-specific details like anticipated rain amounts and durations, peak wind speeds and the timing of tropical storm-force winds.

Accuweather’s Exclusive Insights

AccuWeather's impacts were more urgent and detailed than other weather providers. AccuWeather accurately predicted that certain areas would receive a year's worth of rain within 24 hours. This exclusive language, unique to AccuWeather, provided AccuWeather For Business users with enhanced actionable decision-making insights.

• “The track and potential impacts of Hilary are an extraordinarily rare event – one that many people might only experience once or twice in a lifetime.”

• “Rain can fall too fast, too furious and produce life-threatening flooding, especially in steep terrain, near recent wildfire burn scars and in the deserts of Southern California where in some places rainfall can be two times what is typical for an entire year.”

• “Flash flooding near and along critical interstate highways and railroads for the transport of goods eastbound out of California to other parts of the country can result in delays or perhaps the closure of these important routes for commerce, including portions of I-40, I-15, I-8 and I-10.” 

AccuWeather RealImpact™ Scale for Hurricanes

Though labeled a tropical storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale employed by other providers during its impact on California, Hilary's effects were extraordinary, uncommon and hazardous. AccuWeather's RealImpact™ Scale for Hurricanes accurately evaluated Hilary's impact, rating it a 2 on a six-point scale, with ratings from less-than-1 to 5, that gauges tropical storm consequences beyond just wind strength, including flooding rainfall, storm surge and economic impact. A rating of 2 signals a substantial risk of "significant flooding."

AccuWeather For Business can help companies and communities better prepare for hurricanes and keep their employees and customers safer.

Hurricanes are not just a problem along the coast; they can also impact businesses several hundred miles inland. Don't wait for an imminent hurricane or tropical storm to prepare your business for one. The message is clear: Start planning now. 

Want to learn more about how AccuWeather’s Hurricane Warning Service can help your business or community better prepare for tropical threats? Contact one of our experts today.

The AccuWeather Advantage

AccuWeather’s track record of Superior Accuracy™ in weather forecasting and warnings have saved our clients tens of billions of dollars, saved the lives of their employees and customers and minimized reputational harm. Throughout our 60+ year history, AccuWeather has saved over 10,000 lives and prevented injuries to over 100,000 people.

Serving more than half of the Fortune 500 companies and thousands of businesses globally, AccuWeather is recognized as the most accurate source of weather forecasts, advanced warnings and data in the world.

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