Hurricane Hilary May Affect Saints-Chargers Preseason Game

Hurricane Hilary may affect the Saints-Chargers preseason game scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

The preseason game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Chargers may be affected by Hurricane Hilary. The storm, now upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane, is headed towards the Los Angeles area, but it will first hit Mexico's Baja California peninsula. 

According to CNN, "The system is expected to weaken over the weekend as it brings rain and the threat of flooding to parts of California and the Southwest US. The latest forecasts show Hilary's center is rapidly intensifying near Baja California Sur, prompting Mexican officials to issue a hurricane watch and tropical storm warnings. Heavy rainfall is also expected to begin impacting the Southwest today and through early next week, with the most intense downpours likely on Sunday and Monday. Still, there remains a wide range of outcomes as small deviations in the hurricane's track could change the forecast for the most intense rain and wind."

Hurricane Hilary on NOAA satellite Thursday afternoon. Hilary is expected to make landfall over or near the Baja California Peninsula on Sunday, then move over California as a tropical depression on Sunday night and Monday. Credit: © NOAA/NESDIS/STAR GOES-West / USA TODAY NETWORK

Hurricane Hilary on NOAA satellite Thursday afternoon. Hilary is expected to make landfall over or near the Baja California Peninsula on Sunday, then move over California as a tropical depression on Sunday night and Monday. Credit: © NOAA/NESDIS/STAR GOES-West / USA TODAY NETWORK

Currently, the Chargers are hosting the Saints in Costa Mesa during the teams' joint practices in preparation for their preseason game at SoFi Stadium at 7 PM ET on Sunday, Aug. 20. The New Orleans Saints organization and the NFL have not officially announced any changes to the preseason contest. In October 2020, the NFL considered relocating the game between the Saints and Chargers from New Orleans to Indianapolis due to Hurricane Delta. 

SNN reached out to the New Orleans Saints and NFL about Hurricane Hilary without an official response.  More information on the Saints-Chargers game and Hurricane Hilary will be reported soon.