Karina Reaches Category 4; SoCal Threats

Hurricane Karina rapidly intensified to a Category 4 offshore in the Eastern Pacific, with winds near 145 mph. It remains largely offshore, but its swells and rip-current hazards threaten Southern California and Baja California this week. In addition to Karina, several systems near Baja and off Mexico, including Tropical Storm Lowell and another disturbed area, are contributing to an unsettled Labor Day weekend forecast with heavy surf, possible rainfall, and coastal flooding risks depending on each storm’s track. Forecasters say spaghetti-model forecasts show wide divergence, so some scenarios bring rain and wind to Southern California while others keep systems out to sea. The National Weather Service warns that long-range forecasts carry high uncertainty and that astronomical high tides could amplify coastal flooding during Labor Day. The broader El Niño–driven pattern is expected to continue shaping Pacific activity this fall, potentially increasing storms and hazards for California and the region.