Hurricane Karina pulls away from Los Cabos, but leaves 25-50 mm of rain and 2-3 meter surf in BCS this weekend
In its Sunday evening update, the city placed Karina as a Category 1 hurricane about 1,415 kilometers west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, with no direct threat to the municipality.
Hurricane Karina remains far from Los Cabos and poses no direct threat to the municipality, though it will bring indirect effects this weekend, the city's Civil Protection and Risk Management Office reported on Sunday, August 30, in its afternoon update.
According to the agency, Karina was a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour, located about 1,415 kilometers west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas and moving west-northwest toward the open Pacific. That track keeps carrying it farther from Baja California Sur.
"Karina does not represent a direct threat" to the municipality, Los Cabos Civil Protection stated, while warning of indirect effects: elevated surf and rip currents in Pacific-facing areas. Southern Baja California Sur can expect isolated rainfall of 25 to 50 millimeters and, according to the National Weather Service, waves of 2 to 3 meters along the state's coast.
The takeaway for residents is that conditions improved from the morning: Karina moved from roughly 1,180 kilometers to about 1,415, meaning it is pulling away. Even so, the swell and rip currents are the real hazard of the weekend on corridor and Pacific beaches — more dangerous for swimmers than the storm's wind itself.
What to do: obey the flags and lifeguards' instructions at the beach; stay out of the water where surf or undertow is strong; if a rip current pulls you out, do not swim against it — let it carry you parallel to the shore until you are free, then head back at an angle. Near arroyos and streambeds, remember that even brief rain can raise water levels quickly.
Civil Protection also kept its heat advisory in place: stay hydrated, wear light-colored long sleeves, avoid prolonged sun exposure during peak radiation hours, and take special care of children and older adults.
Monitoring stays active because, beyond Karina, a low-pressure zone tied to tropical wave No. 33 still holds a high chance of cyclonic development in the coming days. The Pacific season runs through November 30. For reports and emergencies, the city listed the number (624) 146-7600.
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