Potential Hurricane on California Path After 'Abruptly' Changing Course

First, California got hit by a heat wave.

And now, there are reports of a tropical storm — or potential hurricane — "abruptly" moving north along Mexico's Baja California peninsula.

Either way, the storm, currently dubbed Tropical Storm Kay, could be monumental for the Golden State.

"Confidence remains high for a significant rainfall event across this region," the National Weather Service said Thursday.

And in a public advisory, the National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Kay is "expected to bring hurricane conditions to portions of the West Coast of the Baja California Peninsula."

According to the National Hurricane Center, the hurricane warning remains in effect for areas located "North of Punta Abreojos to San Jose De Las Palomas" (Mexico), while the hurricane watch applies to "Puerto Cortes to Punta Abreojos."

According to Popular Science, Tropical Storm Kay has already resulted in three deaths in Mexico, upon making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane.

Also, the Associated Press reported that more than 1,600 people from the Baja California Sur "have already been evacuated" to shelters.

"Landslides reportedly cut some roadways on the peninsula," but no reports of injuries to date, the AP wrote.

The heavy rainfall will likely be welcome in some of California's driest areas. At the same time, the NWS cautioned the substantial rains could bring elements of danger.

"Despite those positives, it's never a good thing to get too much rain all at once, a trait all too common among slow-moving tropical storms," the NWS wrote.

Weather experts warn the flash flooding in California could get to 4 or 5 inches.

Also, the winds from the east could intensify in the coming days. 

The Baja California Sur region sees only 2.38 inches of rain per year and would break a record set in 1976, if it receives more than 3 inches of rain.

Only nine days have passed in September, but it's already been more potent, storm-wise, than August.

In its recently published monthly recap, the National Hurricane Center assessed: "No tropical cyclones formed in the basin during August. This is quite unusual and is the first time that has occurred since 1997, and is only the third time that has happened since 1950."

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