First Ever Tropical Storm Watch Issued In Southern California, Potential For A Year’s Worth Of Rain

This Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, 1:10 p.m. EDT satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Hilary, right, off Mexico’s Pacific coast. It grew rapidly to Category 4 strength and could reach Southern California as the first tropical storm there in 84 years, causing “significant and rare impacts” including extensive flooding. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said a tropical storm watch has been issued for Southern California, the first time it has ever done that. (NOAA via AP)

OAN’s Sophia Flores
11:55 AM – Friday, August 18, 2023

A new tropical storm will hit California over the weekend. Hurricane Hilary, the first ever Tropical Storm Watch issued in California, is set to bring more than a year’s worth of rain to parts of the state.

A Tropical Storm Watch has now been issued for much of Southern California. This is the first Tropical Strom Watch issued by the National Hurricane Center for Southern California. Please see the latest advisory for more information: https://t.co/g1SCAh22Of #CAwx https://t.co/TZnTL9pwPW
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) August 18, 2023

On Thursday, The National Hurricane Center announced that Hilary gained momentum and was expected to develop into a major hurricane. By Friday morning, Hurricane Hilary strengthened to a Category 4 storm.

By the time Hilary arrives on shore, it is expected to be classified as a tropical storm.

The tropical storm first formed on Wednesday off the coast of Mexico’s southern Pacific coast. At the time, the storm had winds of 40 mph.

The Hurricane Center said that “Hilary has the potential to bring impacts to the Baja California Peninsula and portions of the southwestern United States this weekend.” Additionally, they stated that Hilary had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph.

Parts of California have begun preparing for Hilary by placing sandbag stations throughout its cities.

In addition to the multiple sand bag stations located throughout the City, West County CERT has been activated and is pre-filling bags for residents to grab and go in the 8th Street Lot, 800 Ocean Avenue. Come on down! pic.twitter.com/kczOfKqjUB
— Seal Beach Police (@SealBeachPolice) August 18, 2023

The Golden State hasn’t been in a path of a storm since the 1970’s. The last time a storm made landfall in California was in 1939. 45 people died and hundreds of homes were destroyed in the Long Beach Tropical Storm.

With Hurricane #Hilary moving toward California, we take a look back to the last official tropical storm landfall in SoCal known as the Long Beach Tropical Storm in 1939. #cawx pic.twitter.com/kHSsCqLFzB
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) August 18, 2023

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