Tropical Storm Hilary Churns Through Southern California, Dropping Historic Amounts of Rain

Posted: August 22, 2023 9:30 am

It was a storm that lived up to the hype on Sunday when Tropical Storm Hilary rushed through Southern California and beyond. Here is the latest on what is now designated as a post-tropical cyclone that is still producing mass amounts of rainfall and gusty winds.

Latest on Post-Tropical Cyclone Hilary

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is warning that the remnants of what was once a powerful Category 4 hurricane will continue to produce the risk of life-threatening flooding conditions. Approximately 16 million Americans in an area stretching from Southern California into Idaho were still under flood watches as of mid-day Monday.

Hilary was spinning about 100 miles west-northeast of Elko, Nevada by late Monday morning. The storm is moving to the north-northeast at a fast clip of 24 mph. Portions of the Intermountain West will continue to see the moisture still left in this storm system throughout the day Tuesday before it finally dissipates.

Impacts of Hilary to Southern California and Beyond

The large storm system brought life to a halt in Southern California on Sunday as it roared onshore. Hilary’s arrival was the first tropical storm landfall in the Golden State in 84 years. California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergent on Saturday in advance of the storm.

While the worst of the storm’s impacts are over, numerous school districts across the region canceled class on Monday as floodwaters continued to stymie travel and present other dangers. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest in the country, was closed on Monday. The San Diego Unified School District delayed what was supposed to be the first day of school on Monday, pushing it back until Tuesday.

Air travelers were also met with a host of disruptions as a result of the storm. Over 1,000 flights were canceled on Sunday with even more delays reported.

All beaches and parks operated by the state of California were closed in both Orange and San Diego counties on Sunday as an effort to keep residents and tourists away.

Flooding Rainfall the Most Significant Impact

The heavy rainfall delivered the biggest blow as Hilary rushed through the region. Los Angeles recorded its rainiest summer day in history when 2.82 inches fell at the downtown weather station. Farther to the south, San Diego recorded 1.82 inches of rain. This amount also broke the record for the most moisture recorded on a summer day, translating to about 10 times the average amount of rain over the entire course of the season.

The higher terrains recorded even more rain. A station in Forest Falls, California recorded a whopping 10.51 inches of rain. Several other rain gauges in the mountainous areas recorded 8 to 9 inches throughout the weather event.

The desert landscape also saw immense amounts of rain. The resort town of Palm Springs, California lost its 911 service on Monday morning due to the flooding. The town was temporarily isolated from the rest of the region when all roads in and out of Palm Springs were deemed impassable.

Some of the worst of the flooding conditions are still ongoing in Cathedral City, California. This city is located approximately 100 miles east of Los Angeles, near the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. The heavy downpours unleashed a torrent of mud and other debris flows, making roads impassable and trapping many residents in their homes.

In addition to the torrential rainfall, the storm also ushered in damaging winds. Power outages peaked at about 57,000 on Monday morning throughout Southern California. Wind gusts of over 80 mph were recorded in the mountains of Southern California and in parts of Mexico.

Hilary’s History

Hilary had reached the status of a Category 4 hurricane last week as it spun around in the warmer waters off of the coast of Mexico. The storm eventually made landfall on the Baja California peninsula in Mexico, killing one person and unleashing catastrophic flooding.

There is no doubt that Hilary’s track was a rare weather event. The colder waters that surround California typically stymie the development of tropical weather events in this part of the Pacific. Sunday’s landfall was only the second time in recorded history that a tropical storm moved over Southern California.

Hilary was the first tropical storm to ever make it into Nevada intact.

Southern California Also Records Significant Earthquake Amidst Storm

It was a double whammy for severe weather events in the Los Angeles area on Sunday. A magnitude 5.1 earthquake rattled the region on Sunday afternoon. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the tremor was located in Ojai, a town between Ventura and Santa Barbara.

The Ventura County Sheriff confirmed that there were no immediate reports of damage. The shaking was felt as far as Los Angeles. At least two aftershocks were recorded after the first earthquake.

Did you find this content useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline for reference later.

Recent Posts