Hurricane Hilary is set to approach Southern California this Sunday — but as a tropical storm.
Hurricane Hilary is expected to weaken as it approaches the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula on Saturday. Although the storm has weakened to a Category 3 hurricane, the National Weather Service has stated that the hurricane has sped up and shifted eastward in its track — meaning the impact of the storms will likely be felt Sunday through Monday across Southern California. It is expected to produce heavy rain and flooding in California.
Note: Information will change/be updated as the storm approaches.
When will it reach Los Angeles?
By the time it reaches Southern California on Sunday, August 20, 2023 — it will not be a hurricane, and will most likely become a tropical storm that will last through Monday, August 21, 2023.
As of Saturday, August 19, 2023, Southern California is currently under tropical storm watch as Hilary approaches. This is the first time in decades, as no tropical storm has made landfall in Southern California since September 25, 1939.
What can we expect?
Parts of Southern California will be seeing record-breaking rainfall — and could see 3 to 6 inches of rain, and even as much as 10 inches in certain places. It is expected to produce heavy rain and flooding. According to the National Weather Service, the storm will also cause high ocean swells of four to seven feet across southeast and south-facing beaches Sunday and Monday.
What areas are under a flood watch?
As of Saturday, August 19, 2023, the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Southern California, including Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura Counties.
You can sign up to receive alerts about warnings and emergencies at Notify L.A. For those in L.A. County, you can find your local alert system at the Ready LA County website here.
How to stay safe:
- Stay indoors during the storm.
- Check your emergency kit, and food and water supply.
- If possible, please do not drive during the storm.
- Plan ahead, in case of power outages — charge your electronic devices and power banks. Have candles and flashlights on the ready.
- In the event of an outage, you can check Southern California Edison’s outage map which also lets you sign up for alerts.
- Even after the rainfall, roads can be treacherous — do not enter flooded roadways and flooded sidewalks.
For more information about staying safe, make sure to visit National Weather Service.
Other resources:
The Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority and the City and County of L.A. have activated their emergency response to notify and relocate houseless people to safer locations.
If you can, donate to your local mutual aids during this time, such as K-Town For All, LA Street Care, People’s City Council, and more.