After its landfall in Mexico, Tropical Storm Hilary now batters California.
Tropical Storm Hilary, which made landfall in Mexico earlier on Sunday, has now entered California, where it is wreaking havoc with powerful gusts, copious rain, and the prospect of catastrophic, potentially fatal floods.
As of 4 p.m., Tropical Storm Hilary, which had been a Category 1 hurricane on Saturday morning, was about 115 miles south-southeast of San Diego. The National Hurricane Center of the National Weather Service issued an advisory on Sunday.
According to meteorologists, Tropical Storm Hilary could bring probably unprecedented amounts of rain that might result in catastrophic floods and endanger lives in Baja and the Southwestern United States on Monday.
Forecasters warned that southern Nevada, far-southwest Utah, western Arizona, and southeast California might all experience tornadoes tonight.
Authorities in southern California begged people not to drive, citing the risk of mudslides, deteriorating roads, hazardous debris flows, and flooding. Some cities also proclaimed emergencies to deal with Tropical Storm Hilary.
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Tropical Storm Hilary may be among the most catastrophic storms to hit California in recent years, a state expert has warned.
In a post on social media Sunday night, the National Weather Service stated that a hazardous flooding was already occurring in several areas of the counties of Los Angeles and Ventura.
The agency reported that cars were getting stranded in floodwaters and that local authorities were performing rescues.
Although the heart of Tropical Storm Hilary or its core passed across Southern California on Sunday evening the storm’s effects were felt in the state much earlier in the day and the state has already received a significant amount of rain.
In just six hours on Sunday, some areas of Palm Springs received more than 2 inches of water which is about half of the annual normal.
The Tropical Storm Hilary will continue to batter the area with extreme weather as it advances deeper into the US, despite predictions that it will weaken.
Authorities in Arizona ordered citizens to leave some areas of Lake Mead National Park in anticipation of impending flooding. As the Tropical Storm Hilary got closer, the governor of Nevada also issued an emergency declaration.
On Sunday, more than 1,000 domestic, international, and transatlantic flights were canceled, and more than 4,900 others had delays.
According to flightaware.com, Tropical Storm Hilary’s three most effected airports are Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport in Nevada, and San Diego International Airport.
The United States Geological Survey reports that an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 struck Southern California on Sunday afternoon, at the same time that Tropical Storm Hilary caused flood warnings to be issued around Los Angeles.
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