California prepares for Hurricane Hilary
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 (NHC) said on Saturday that the storm will bring “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” through Monday.
The outer bands of the hurricane, which was downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 2 storm on Saturday, were arriving in Baja as of roughly 2pm Pacific time.
As of Saturday afternoon, the hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, according to the NHC.
The storm is expected to begin impacting the US early on Sunday.
Officials in Mexico have mobilised members of the army to help respond to the disaster, while California has activated its national guardsmen.
More than 6,500 Mexican soldiers deployed to prepare for Hilary’s arrival
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.”
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 12:00
As California prepares for one disaster, Hawaii rebuilds from another
Extreme weather is happening across the Pacific, from the hurricane heading towards California, to the hurricane winds which helped fuel the devastating Maui wildfires.
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 11:00
Hurricane Hilary is down(graded), but not out
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.”
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 10:00
Hurricanes are getting stronger. Here’s why
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.
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 09:00
ICYMI: Hurricane Hilary could create new lake in world’s hottest place as it bears down on California
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 07:59
Hurricane Hilary could bring ‘100-year event’ flooding to Las Vegas
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.
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 07:06
ICYMI: Hurricane Hilary bearing down on US as officials warn of ‘very dangerous’ Category 2 storm
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.
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 06:00
PHOTO: Long Beach prepares for Hurricane Hilary by setting up emergency shelter in gym
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.
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 05:00
California governor in San Diego as Hurricane Hilary approaches
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.
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 04:00
How Hurricane Hilary could reshape the Southern California desert
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.
Josh Marcus20 August 2023 03:00