Hurricane Hilary forms in Pacific, threatens Southern Calif with high winds, surf, flooding

Southern California is expected to be hit with dangerous flooding from Hurricane Hilary, resulting in the National Hurricane Center issuing a tropical storm watch.

The counties expected to be hit include Los Angeles, Orange and California's Catalina Island, according to CBS News.

Greg Postel, a hurricane and storm specialist at the Weather Channel, said there is a major probability of "damaging wind gusts," especially at higher elevations.

"It is rare — indeed nearly unprecedented  in the modern record — to have a tropical system like this move through Southern California," he said. 

Hilary is also a Category 4 hurricane that will hit Mexico. 

Forecasters predicted the storm will result in three to six inches of rainfall, with maximum amounts of 10 inches, across parts of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula through Sunday night. There is also a high possibility of flash flooding.