Closing summary
It’s just after 11pm in California now and Hilary is just south-east of Los Angeles, according to the CNN Weather Tracker. We’re closing this blog for now but join us later for more live coverage as the storm progresses north through California.
Here’s a roundup of the key developments:
The storm made landfall on Sunday in Mexico, where it caused flash flooding in the Baja Peninsula that killed one person when their car was washed away. The cities of Ensenada and Tijuana closed all beaches and opened shelters at sports complexes and government offices. In Tijuana, schools are to be closed on Monday and non-essential activities cancelled.
The storm is expected to bring, and in some cases has already brought, “life-threatening and locally catastrophic flash flooding” as it advances northwards over southern California, according to the US National Weather Service. More than 20 flash flooding warnings were in effect across California on Sunday evening including in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Death Valley, Ventura and Santa Clarita.
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has declared a state of emergency in 12 counties while in Nevada, to the north, Governor Joe Lombardo has also declared a state of emergency and activated 100 National Guard troops to assist with problems from predicted flooding in western Clark and Nye counties and southern Esmeralda County. Arizona has also been experiencing stormy weather.
The city of Indio, east of Los Angeles, declared its own state of emergency and the police department said the 911 line was down.
At least nine rainfall records have already been broken across California, including in downtown Los Angeles.
Schools are to be closed on Monday in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second largest school system, as well as in other districts including the neighbouring district of Pasadena. In San Diego the first day of classes have been postponed from Monday to Tuesday.
Hilary was downgraded from a Category 4 hurricane early on Sunday morning but officials warned that people should be more concerned about flooding and should not attempt to drive through flood waters.
It is extremely rare for a tropical strength storm to hit southern California and it will be the first time that San Diego County, just north of the Mexican border, has ever been hit by one. Storm Nora hit a remote part of Imperial County to the east in 1997, and in 1939, before storms were named, another came ashore in Long Beach to the north, in Los Angeles County.
Just as California was preparing for Hilary’s arrival on Sunday afternoon, it was also struck by a 5.1 magnitude earthquake in the Ventura County city of Ojai, about 80 miles northwest of Los Angeles. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
Updated
The city of Indio, in California’s Riverside County, has declared its own state of emergency, saying that the storm “exceeds the City’s capacity to address the impacts with its own personnel and resources”.
Governor Gavin Newsom had already declared a state of emergency in Riverside in Saturday.
According to Indio’s police department, the city’s 911 line is down.
City of Indio Declares State of Emergency
— City of Indio (@CityofIndio) August 21, 2023
Tropical Storm Hilary has threatened local infrastructure and public health and safety, and exceeds the City’s capacity to address the impacts with its own personnel and resources.
Please visit https://t.co/XHokY1YZ68 for more info. pic.twitter.com/Tbdm4yByKe
🚨Alert🚨 There is 9–1-1 phone outage. Our phone carrier is working to get it restored as soon as possible. If you have an emergency, please contact 760-775-3730. Our non-emergency dispatch is 760-391-4051. @CityofIndio pic.twitter.com/KttHC3AEMD
— Indio Police Dept (@Indiopd) August 21, 2023
