Hurricane Hilary live updates: Storm could bring ‘catastrophic,’ ‘life-threatening flooding’ to California
Southern California has been issued its first-ever tropical storm watch as Hurricane Hilary continues on its path from the Pacific towards Baja California, Mexico, and the Southwest United States.
The National Hurricane Center said on Saturday that the storm will bring “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” through Monday.
The hurricane, which is moving northwestward at a rate of 16 mph, has sustained winds of 125 mph.
It is expected to begin impacting the US early on Sunday.
The hurricane will weaken slightly as it heads towards Southern California, but is still bringing nearly unprecedented conditions.
The last time a major tropical storm hit the state was in 1939, where homes were washed away and 48 people were killed.
Key Points
Hurricane Hilary may dump more than a year’s worth of rain on the southwest
Southern California gets first ever tropical storm watch as Hurricane Hilary approaches
When is Hurricane Hilary supposed to hit California?
What is the path of Hurricane Hillary?
More than 6,500 Mexican soldiers deployed to prepare for Hilary’s arrival
12:00 , Josh Marcus
Mexico has mobilised more than 6,500 soldiers to the coastal states of Baja California and Baja California Sur to build shelters and distribute supplies as Hurricane Hilary nears the country.
On the ground, some appeared unconcerned however.
“We are so used to being warned and nothing happens,” Andrés García, 35, a valet at a hotel in the port city of Ensenada, told The New York Times. “That is why people are calm. Hopefully it won’t be so destructive.”
As California prepares for one disaster, Hawaii rebuilds from another
11:00 , Josh Marcus
Extreme weather is happening across the Pacific, from the hurricane heading towards California, to the hurricane winds which helped fuel the devastating Maui wildfires.
Follow the latest from the Hawaiian islands with our Maui fires liveblog.
Hurricane Hilary is down(graded), but not out
10:00 , Josh Marcus
On Saturday, Hurricane Hilary was downgraded to a Category 2 storm, but forecasters still say this designation carries great risk.
“This does not lessen the threat, especially the flood threat,” Jamie Rhome, the US National Hurricane Center’s deputy director, said Saturday. “Don’t let the weakening trend and the intensity lower your guard.”
Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why
09:00 , Josh Marcus
Sea-level rise is one way that the climate crisis is making these storms more dangerous. As the oceans rise, due to melting polar ice sheets and increased heat expanding the water, coastal cities like Tokyo and New Orleans will be more likely to be inundated during storms.
Since the late 19th century, global sea level has risen by eight inches – threatening coastal communities and increasing flooding risk when storms push water inland.
Rising sea levels can also wipe out natural coastal defences against hurricanes such as wetlands of marshes and swamps that buffer storm surges and winds.
One 2020 study found that in nearly 90 tropical storms from 1996 to 2016, US counties with more wetlands had less property damage. The study put an average value on those wetlands of $1.8m in protection per square kilometre per year.
Ethan Freedman and Louise Boyle have the details.
Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why
ICYMI: Hurricane Hilary could create new lake in world’s hottest place as it bears down on California
07:59 , Josh Marcus
Hurricane Hilary is expected to bring heavy rain to Southern California as it grows off Mexico’s Baja California.
Hilary will plow into the Mexican peninsula sometime on Sunday, amid concerns of “life-threatening and potentially catastrophic” floods. The US National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm watch from the Golden State’s Pacific coast to interior mountains and deserts — the first in Southern California in 84 years.
Andrea Blanco reports.
Hurricane Hilary could create new lake in Death Valley National Park
Hurricane Hilary could bring ‘100-year event’ flooding to Las Vegas
07:06 , Josh Marcus
Las Vegas is preparing for major flooding from Hurricane Hilary.
“We designed for what’s called ‘the 100-year event’ or ‘the 1 percent chance storm,’ so what that translates to in Las Vegas is about 2.77 inches of rain over a six-hour period,” Steven Parrish, general manager and chief engineer for the Clark County Regional Flood Control District, told 8 News. “We’re expecting rainfall at around that level.”
“Our recommendation to people would be — if you can — just shelter in place,” he added. “There’s going to be street flooding, […] it’s going to be difficult to drive.”
The official said Clark County’s 684 miles of channels and storm drains, as well as a network of detention basins, would be enough to protect Las Vegas.
ICYMI: Hurricane Hilary bearing down on US as officials warn of ‘very dangerous’ Category 2 storm
06:00 , Josh Marcus
Hurricane Hilary continued its journey towards the Baja peninsula and Southern California on Saturday, as officials warned that the storm could bring unprecedented rain and flooding to the normally arid Southwest.
“Make no mistake,” Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said on Saturday in a news conference. “This is a very, very dangerous and significant storm.”
More details in our full story.
Hurricane Hilary bears down on US as officials warn of ‘dangerous’ Category 2 storm
PHOTO: Long Beach prepares for Hurricane Hilary by setting up emergency shelter in gym
05:00 , Josh Marcus
Long Beach, California, is one of the many Southern California municipalities preparing for the potentially disasterous arrival of Hurricane Hilary.
The city has erected a temporary cot shelter in a basketball gymnasium in preparation.
Shelter set up at Silverado Park in Long Beach for residents of Catalina Island if needed. @knxnews pic.twitter.com/qWwKZjbjxE
— Nataly Tavidian (@NatalyTavidian) August 19, 2023
California governor in San Diego as Hurricane Hilary approaches
04:00 , Josh Marcus
California governor Gavin Newsom was in San Diego on Saturday, a day before the worst impacts of Hurricane Hilary are expected to impact the state.
Just left the San Diego Emergency Operations Center -- meeting with @MayorToddGloria as California prepares for #HurricaneHilary.
Southern California: Make sure to stay safe and listen to local official warnings. pic.twitter.com/gOdDqvTZG4— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 19, 2023
How Hurricane Hilary could reshape the Southern California desert
03:00 , Josh Marcus
Heavy rains from Hurricane Hilary will concentrate on Sunday in Palm Springs, Yucca Valley, and Mojave National Preserve in Southern California, some of the driest areas of the country.
“The drainage there is so poor,” Mark Moede, a forecaster with the National Weather Service’s San Diego office, told SFGATE. “It doesn’t take much to create flooding on the desert floor.”
“Flood risk from #Hilary in SE California deserts is genuinely alarming,” Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, wrote earlier this week on X, describing the potential impacts of the rains. “Widespread & possibly destructive flash flooding is possible. This has high potential to be a historic flood event in this region.”
The desert areas could receive multiple years worth of normal rain levels this weekend alone.
Southwest cancels flights into Palm Springs ahead of Hurricane Hilary
02:00 , Josh Marcus
Southwest Airlines has canceled flights into Palm Springs through Monday morning, the airport announced on Saturday, ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Hilary.
The Southern California desert is expected to be inundated with rain when the tropical storm hits the state on Sunday.
We’ve just received notice that Southwest Airlines is canceling all flights into and out of PSP through Monday morning. Please contact Southwest for options to rebook.
— Palm Springs International Airport (@flyPSP) August 19, 2023
Nevada activates National Guard ahead of Hurricane Hilary
01:30 , Josh Marcus
Nevada has activated its National Guard ahead of Hurricane Hilary, which is expected to shower the Southwest in unprecedented amounts of rain.
“These Guardsmen will be put in place to provide support to southern counties, which may be significantly impacted by flooding,” Governor Joe Lombardo said in a news release. “As the state takes the necessary steps to prepare for flooding and severe weather, I strongly urge all Nevadans to do the same. By making a plan ahead of time, Nevadans can ensure that their families and loved ones remain safe amidst Hurricane Hilary.”
Hurricane Hilary causing strange wave patterns off West Coast
01:00 , Josh Marcus
Hurricane Hilary is causing abnormal wave patterns across the West Coast.
Kevin Wallis, director of forecasting at the wave prediction firm Surfline, told NBC News notable swells were observed in the usually tranquil Sea of Cortez, and groups of waves were spotted moving parallel to Southern California, moving past San Diego County.
The US Coast Guard has said waves as high as 8 feet could hit California throughout the storm.
Southern California residents prepare for arrival of Hilary with sand bags
00:30 , Josh Marcus
Residents across Southern California prepared on Saturday for the arrival of Hurricane Hilary, which is expected to bring heavy rains and flooding to even arid regions of the state.
Many cities, like Huntington Beach, offered sand bags to help protect structures.
We will be extending our sandbag fill station hours today (Saturday, Aug. 19) until 7:00pm to allow our Huntington Beach residents & businesses with more time to get sandbags. The fill station will also be open tomorrow (Sunday, Aug. 20), 8am-5pm.
Our sandbag fill station is… pic.twitter.com/Gu6C33NST1— City of Huntington Beach (@CityofHBPIO) August 19, 2023
Preparations for flooding should be ‘completed as soon as possible'
00:02 , Josh Marcus
Federal forecasters are warning people in the path of Hurricane Hilary to finish their flooding preparations “as soon as possible.”
“In the Southwestern US, the potentially historic amount of rainfall is expecteed to cause flash, urban, and arroyo flooding including landslides, mudslides, and debris flows,” the National Weather Service said in a briefing on Saturday.
Hurricane Hilary bearing down on US as officials warn of ‘very dangerous’ Category 2 storm
23:26 , Josh Marcus
Hurricane Hilary continued its journey towards the Baja peninsula and Southern California on Saturday, as officials warned that the storm could bring unprecedented rain and flooding to the normally arid Southwest.
“Make no mistake,” Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said on Saturday in a news conference. “This is a very, very dangerous and significant storm.”
“There will be power outages across Southern California,” she added.
The heart of the storm, which began Wednesday in the waters off Manzanillo, Mexico, was 285 miles frmo Punta Eugenia, Mexico, and about 640 miles south-southeast of San Diego, California, as of Saturday afternoon.
Follow the latest.
Hurricane Hilary bears down on US as officials warn of ‘dangerous’ Category 2 storm
Hurricane Hilary could create new lake in world’s hottest place as it bears down on California
23:07 , Josh Marcus
Hurricane Hilary is expected to bring heavy rain to Southern California as it continues its path towards Mexico’s Baja California.
Hilary will plow into the Mexican peninsula sometime on Sunday, amid concerns of “life-threatening and potentially catastrophic” floods. The US National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm watch from the Golden State’s Pacific coast to interior mountains and deserts — the first in Southern California in 84 years.
Meteorologists have warned that heavy rainfall could potentially turn Death Valley National Park into a massive lake, AccuWeather reports. Death Valley, the hottest place on earth, is expected to receive more than its annual two-inch rainfall, prompting major flooding and flash floods, the park said in a statement on Friday.
Andrea Blanco has the full story.
Evacuations begin as Hilary approaches Southern
22:24 , Josh Marcus
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation notices for residents of Oak Glen, Forest Falls, Mountain Home Village, Angelus Oaks, and NE Yucaipa, as Southern California braces for the arrival of Hurricane Hilary, which is expected to bring rare rain and flash floods to the usually dry region.
Las Vegas prepares for Hurricane Hilary: ‘Bring a shovel'
22:03 , Josh Marcus
The city of Las Vegas is preparing for heavy rains with the arrival of Hurricane Hilary forecasted sometime this weekend.
The city offered sand bags at multiple sites to help homes and businesses divert flood waters.
Thank you to our crews that are working to restock the sand at the following sand bag filling locations:
Summerlin
2950 Ronemus Dr.
East Side
3128 East Bonanza Rd.
Bring a shovel. Bags are provided.
Sandbags can help divert water if your yard is prone to flooding. pic.twitter.com/OTYcEmtAon— City of Las Vegas (@CityOfLasVegas) August 19, 2023
Joe Biden will be in California during Hurricane Hilary aftermath
21:39 , Josh Marcus
Joe Biden and his family are vacationing in scenic Lake Tahoe, California, this week, renting a home from billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer.
That puts the president in the same state that’s going to be hit with floods, rain, and heavy winds because of Hurricane Hilary.
The president will be monitoring the situation closely, the White House told NBC News.
Hurricane Hilary downgraded as it approaches California
20:54 , Josh Marcus
Hurricane Hilary has been downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 3 storm as of Saturday morning, though officials still warn the hurricane could bring serious weather impacst to Southern California and Mexico in the coming days.
California will see “widespread shower activity” and a “tremendous amount of precipitation,” according to the National Weather Service.
California deserts could be worst-hit in Hilary, officials say
20:28 , Josh Marcus
Officials are worried about the unusual combination of Hurricane Hilary’s heavy precipitation and California’s dry desert regions, which sit in the storm’s path.
“We’re keeping a very close eye on our desert regions east of San Diego and Los Angeles,” Brian Ferguson, deputy director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said on Saturday, warning that “some parts of those areas may receive double their yearly amount of water in just a single day.”
Advocates worry LA isn’t doing enough to protect homeless from Hilary flooding
19:59 , Josh Marcus
Advocates for unhoused people in Los Angeles worry the city isn’t doing enough to prepare for heavy rains and flooding that might arrive in the city this weekend because of Hurricane Hilary.
“We should be in overdrive right now,” Erin Mauffray of Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid told LA Public Press.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority said this week it “will continue to identify available beds for unhoused Angelenos and is doing outreach to “people encamped within the flood control areas around the Santa Fe Dam and throughout the San Gabriel River Watershed, following our well-established rapid response protocols.”
Sunday will be Hurricane Hilary’s ‘time frame of most impact'
19:40 , Josh Marcus
As Hurricane Hilary heads towards the US, forecasters say Sunday could bring the most dangerous conditions.
By that point, the storm will be above Baja California in Mexico and parts of Southern California and Arizona in the US.
Hurricane #Hilary has sped up a bit, along with a slight shift eastward in its track. This results in Sunday morning through Sunday evening being the time frame of most impact, along with slightly weaker winds.
Stay tuned to @NHC_Pacific & other NWS accounts for updates! #CAwx pic.twitter.com/fR2xRm6h7C— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) August 19, 2023
Amazing video shows Hurricane Hilary from space
19:20 , Josh Marcus
It all looks so peaceful from up there.
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station got a glimpse of Hurricane Hilary earlier this week, where the powerful tropical storm appeared as a giant white spiraling disk.
The International Space Station caught a glimpse of Hurricane Hilary on Thursday as it approached Southern California as a powerful storm. This time-lapse footage shows the eye of the then-Category 2 storm. Hilary has since strengthened to a Category 4 storm. pic.twitter.com/Vs7i1TG49C
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 19, 2023
California National Guard prepares for arrival of Hurricane Hilary
19:00 , Josh Marcus
As Hurricane Hilary heads towards North America, Southern California is bracing for the extremely rare event of a tropical storm hitting its shores.
The California National Guard said on Saturday it “strategically pre-positioned resources” throughout the region ahead of the storm, which is expected to bring heavy rains, winds, and flash flooding.
The Cal Guard has strategically pre-positioned resources throughout Southern California as part of the statewide effort to prepare for #HurricaneHilary. @USNationalGuard pic.twitter.com/G9bvhYjYSu
— The California National Guard (@CalGuard) August 19, 2023
Hurricane Hilary causes MLB to reschedule multiple games
18:40 , Josh Marcus
Major League Baseball has rescheduled three different series involving teams in Southern California as Hurricane Hilary heads towards the state.
The inclement weather, which is expected to bring rain, heavy winds, and flooding throughout the Southwest, impacted three Sunday series: the Arizona Diamondbacks versus the San Diego Padres; the Tampa Bay Rays versus the Los Angeles Angels; and the Miami Marlins versus the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The games will all be played on Saturday instead.
“I’m very grateful that they were proactive in the thought,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told ESPN.com. “It’s certainly going to be an inconvenience for some people that had Sunday tickets, but to at least get ahead of it made sense to me. ... This is crazy. A hurricane, Southern California, this is very unprecedented, clearly. I just want to make sure we get ahead of it, people get safe and it passes us by.”
When will the US start feeling the effects of Hurricane Hilary?
18:18 , Josh Marcus
Hurricane Hilary is expected to make landfall in Mexico on Sunday, but the US might start feeling the effects of the storm even sooner.
Rain from Hilary will reach California later Saturday, according to forecasts, and is expected to peak on Sunday night, bringing between 3 and 6 inches across Southern California and southern Nevada.
National Hurricane Center warns of ‘catastrophic’ flooding in Southwest
18:02 , Josh Marcus
The National Hurricane Center has issued a stark warning about the potential effects of Hurricane Hilary on Baja California and the Southwestern US.
“Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” is expecting to accompany the storm, which is expected to hit Mexico on Saturday, the NHC said.
NHC issues latest Hurricane Hilary advisory
17:01 , Graeme Massie
“Life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flooding is likely over much of Baja California and southern California this weekend and early next week,” the NHC Eastern Pacific stated at 2pm PDT.
What does Hurricane Hilary look like from space?
16:10 , Graeme Massie
Here is video taken from the International Space Station on Thursday 18 August.
Could Hurricane Hilary create a new lake in California desert?
15:04 , Graeme Massie
When Hurricane Hilary makes landfall it is expected to weaken and move into Southern California as a historic tropical storm, dumping large amounts of rain in the region.
The state’s Death Valley National Park could see up to four inches of rain, which is four times the amount it gets each year.
That amount of rain could result in a temporary lake being formed in the park, which is the country’s hottet, driest and lowest place, according to reports.
It would not be the first time that this phenomena has happened, according to AccuWeather.
In 2019, flooding created a 10-mile lake in the park, and in October 2015 kayakers were able to paddle arou d the park when 1.3 inches of rain fell. Paddlers also got a chance to go out on a temporary lake in March 2005 when heavy flooding created a giant lake.
NASA posts satellite images of Hurricane Hilary
14:00 , Graeme Massie
Preparations underway in Southern California for tropical storm
13:04 , Graeme Massie
MLB games moved because of Hurricane Hilary
12:11 , Graeme Massie
Major League Baseball has moved a string of games in California as Hurricane Hilary takes aim at Mexico and the region.
Sunday’s games between San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins, and Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays will all be moved to Saturday for split doubleheaders, MLB announced on Friday.
What is the path of Hurricane Hillary?
11:04 , Graeme Massie
Hurricane Hilary has now strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane and is expected to make landfall somewhere on the west coast of Baja California in Mexico over the weekend. It is then expected to weaken into a tropical storm and continue on its path up the peninsula and hit Southern California late on Sunday or early on Monday morning.
Joe Biden says White House monitoring Hurricane Hilary
10:03 , Graeme Massie
Preparations underway ahead of Hurricane Hilary landfall
09:03 , Graeme Massie
Hurricane Hilary takes aim at Mexico
07:56 , Graeme Massie
When is Hurricane Hilary supposed to hit California?
07:01 , Graeme Massie
Hurricane Hilary is expected to hit Baja California in Mexico over the weekend, before weakening to a tropical storm and arriving in Southern California late on Sunday night or early on Monday morning, experts predict.
The region was last hit with a tropical storm in 1939, and a hurricane in October 1958, which travelled from San Diego to Long Beach.
