Tropical Storm Hilary, which was once a Category 4 hurricane, has made landfall in California on Sunday, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and the risk of catastrophic flooding to parts of the state.
The storm, which weakened to a tropical storm before reaching the US coast, dumped up to 10 inches of rain in some areas, causing flash floods, mudslides and power outages. Some mountain and foothill communities east of Los Angeles were ordered to evacuate ahead of the storm.
Hilary also lashed the west-central coast of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula on Saturday night and Sunday morning, causing damage to homes, roads and infrastructure. No deaths or injuries were reported in Mexico.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Southern California on Saturday, saying that Hilary posed “an extreme peril to the safety of persons and property.” The mayors of Los Angeles and San Diego also issued emergency declarations.
Hilary is expected to move across Southern California on Sunday afternoon and then into Nevada and Arizona, where it could bring more heavy rainfall and flash flooding. The National Hurricane Center warned that “life-threatening flash flooding impacts are expected late Sunday through early Monday in portions of the Southwest US.”
Hilary is a rare tropical storm to hit California, as the state’s cold waters usually prevent such storms from forming or maintaining their strength. The last time a tropical storm made landfall in California was in 1939.