The National Hurricane Center issued its first-ever tropical-storm watch for Southern California today as Hurricane Hilary, a large and powerful Category 4 storm, barreled toward the region.
The watch, which stretches from the U.S.-Mexico border up to Los Angeles County, means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the area over the next 48 hours.
Hilary’s winds are nearing 145 miles per hour, but it is expected to weaken somewhat in the next several hours. However, it will remain a hurricane as it approaches the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula tomorrow.
The storm is predicted to make landfall sometime between tomorrow night and Sunday evening, when the most torrential rain and possible tropical storm-force winds are expected to arrive in Southern California. Weather experts forecast that it will become a tropical storm before reaching Southern California on Sunday.
Regardless of where it lands, the southwestern U.S. may be in for a challenging few days. Hilary will dump up to six inches of rain on parts of Southern California and Southern Nevada through Wednesday, and a flood watch was issued for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, in California.
If Hilary does make landfall in California as a tropical storm, it will be the first such threat since 1939, when an unnamed tropical cyclone touched down in Long Beach and killed nearly 100 people.
For more: Track Hurricane Hilary as it approaches.
Casualties in Ukraine are nearing 500,000
In the 18 months since Russia invaded Ukraine, launching a full-scale war there, almost half a million Ukrainian and Russian troops have been killed or wounded, according to U.S. officials. That staggering total includes about 120,000 Russian military deaths and 70,000 Ukrainian troop deaths.
The figures remain rough estimates, U.S. officials said, because Moscow is believed to routinely undercount its casualties, and Kyiv does not disclose official figures. What is known is that the slaughter intensified this year in eastern Ukraine and has continued at a steady clip as the nearly three-month-old counteroffensive drags on.
Biden pushed for closer ties with Japan and South Korea
During a summit today at Camp David, President Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea agreed to expand security and economic cooperation, seeking to bridge generations of friction between the two Asian powers and to forge a bulwark against China.
Biden said the three leaders had agreed to hold annual military exercises and a trilateral meeting each year to deepen their alliance. He also took pains to emphasize that the summit was not about China, a key economic partner of Japan and South Korea. Though no other topic loomed larger.
Trump plans to skip the first G.O.P. debate
Donald Trump, who is the clear front-runner for next year’s Republican presidential nomination, is planning to sit out the party’s first debate next Wednesday. While he has suggested an openness to changing his mind, the former president plans to upstage the event with an online interview with the conservative host Tucker Carlson.
More top news
Canada: Yellowknife’s 20,000 residents continued to flee an advancing wildfire as blazes hundreds of miles away threatened Kelowna, a much larger city in British Columbia.
Maui: At least four lawsuits have been filed against Hawaiian Electric after videos posted online seemed to show power lines starting fires. Its share price has tumbled.
Jan. 6: One of the legal architects of Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 electionwas in the crowd outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to footage reviewed by The Times.
Spying: American intelligence agencies warned that China and Russia were targeting American private space companies, trying to steal critical technologies.
Transgender ban: The International Chess Federation introduced new regulations effectively barring many transgender women from women’s events for up to two years or more.
Crime: A British nurse was found guilty in the deaths of seven newborns and the attempted murders of six others.
Health: Middle-aged adults are binge-drinking and using marijuana at record levels, according to new research.
Lives lived: James Buckley, who against the odds became a conservative senator in liberal New York, died at 100.
TIME TO UNWIND
A first-time champion will be crowned this weekend
Few countries cherish their soccer traditions as much as England and Spain, where many of the top professional men’s teams play. But neither country has won a Women’s World Cup. That will change on Sunday, when the two teams face off in the tournament final.
Spain, led by stars like Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, is narrowly favored. But England proved to be composed under pressure this week in its win over Australia.
Cooking on vacation
The best summer vacations involve a little relaxation and a lot of great food. But dining out can quickly add up.
An increasingly popular alternative for travelers looking to save money are hotels or rental properties with a good kitchen. Cooking while traveling can moderate food costs, allows for more comfort with dietary restrictions and grants the opportunity to sample local ingredients. Here are some tips for your next trip.
Dinner table topics
Space punctuation: A recent image from the Webb Space Telescope revealed a giant question mark.
MDMA: It’s one of the safer illegal drugs, but there are still risks.
Extinction: Fossils from Southern California suggest that sabertooth cats disappeared as a result of wildfires.
Birthday nudes: For a certain class of extremely online gay man, explicit photos are the go-to gift.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND
Cook: This panna cotta can be dressed up with fresh berries or diced stone fruit.
Watch: End your summer with a thrill with these horror movies.
Read: If you’re new to Ursula K. Le Guin’s work, “A Wizard of Earthsea” is a good place to start.
Rest: Blue-light glasses are unlikely to help with eye strain. Here’s what does.
Protect: For sunscreen to be most effective, you need to rub it in.
Brush: Upgrade your toothbrush without breaking the bank.
Assess: How well do you know U.S. state flags?
Compete: Take this week’s news quiz.
Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Try out our new game Connections.
ONE LAST THING
There’s no such thing as a bad movie accent
If you watch the movie “Red, White & Royal Blue,” your ears might perk up when you hear Uma Thurman’s exaggerated, almost comically syrupy, Southern drawl. Several reviewers have taken issue with it and some have called it a distraction.
But my colleague Kyle Buchanan disagrees: “‘Can something that brings us this much pleasure possibly be ‘bad’?” he asks.
As Kyle sees it, movie performances are meant to be enjoyable — and while Thurman’s portrayal of the president of the U.S. might be unrealistic, it’s also perhaps the film’s biggest joy.
Have an entertaining weekend.
Thanks for reading. James Gregg was our photo editor today. I’ll be back on Monday. — Matthew
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