© GETTY IMAGESA car is partially submerged in floodwaters as Tropical Storm Hilary moves through Cathedral City, California on August 20, 2023.
Hilary is the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years.
It strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm prior to making landfall. The storm is still expected to bring heavy rainfall along its path through Monday morning, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.
"The potentially historic amount of rainfall is expected to cause life-threatening to catastrophic flash, urban, and arroyo flooding including landslides, mudslides, and debris flows through early Monday morning," the NHC said.
Hilary dumped more than half the average annual rain on some desert and mountain areas, including Palm Springs, which saw nearly 3 inches of rain by Sunday evening. Thousands of people across Southern California had no power due to the storm and Palm Springs lost 911 service Sunday night, CBS News Los Angeles reported.
Where is flooding expected?
The NHC says, "Intense heavy rainfall associated with Hilary is expected across the Southwestern United States through early Monday morning. Rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches, are expected across portions of southern California and southern Nevada, leading to dangerous to catastrophic flooding."
What's more, parts of Oregon and Idaho could get 1 to 3 inches of rain with up to 5 inches in some places through Tuesday "resulting in localized (and) some significant flash flooding."
In Nevada, officials remain concerned about dangerous flooding across the western Mojave Desert, which is at high risk for flash flooding, "an exceedingly rare occurrence," NWS Las Vegas said Sunday on social media.
Southern California was experiencing heavy rain in Los Angeles and surrounding counties, CBS News Los Angeles reported.
The National Weather Service said Ventura County was experiencing life-threating flooding and San Bernardino, Riverside and nearby mountains were at high risk of flash floods. San Bernardino and Riverside Counties issued evacuation orders and Orange County issued evacuation warnings.
In California, evacuation orders have been issued for San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Evacuation warnings were issued in Orange County, according to CBS News Los Angeles
Meanwhile, the Inland Empire and mountains are at a high risk of flash flooding, with some communities expected to get 6-10 inches of rain, according to CBS Los Angeles.
Yesterday it was 73° with a light drizzle, not enough to require a hat or jacket. For a few hours later in the evening it actually rained, but there was no wind.
From my experience of being in storms (some of which were potentially life threatening) on a scale of 1-10, this was between a 0.5 and a 1.
All the weather reports remind me of "the boy who cried wolf."