Hilary leaves massive flooding, mudslides, upheaval across Southern California
LOS ANGELES — In the wake of Hilary’s lashing of Southern California, the region awoke Monday to lingering damage from the historic storm.
The first tropical storm to hit Los Angeles in 84 years dumped record rainfall and turned streets into muddy, debris-swollen rivers; downed trees and knocked out power for thousands of residents; and closed schools across the Southland.
Hilary was downgraded to a post-tropical storm early Monday, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory. But even in its weakened state, it was still predicted to bring “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” to parts of the southwestern U.S., the center said.
The center of the storm was over Nevada early Monday. But forecasters warned Southern California residents to brace for more rainfall, including a slight chance of thunderstorms, as well as strong winds, with gusts of up to 50 mph possible at higher elevations.
Hilary broke “virtually all rainfall daily records” for Sunday, the National Weather Service in Oxnard said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Among the more impressive totals were in Lewis Ranch, which recorded 7.04 inches of rain; Lake Palmdale, which reported 5.98 inches; UCLA, with 4.26 inches; Thousand Oaks, with 3.29 inches; and downtown Los Angeles, with 2.38 inches.
Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the weather service in Oxnard, said the biggest impact from Hilary was flash flooding throughout the region, with significant flooding in the Antelope Valley and parts of L.A. County and Ventura County.
On Sunday, Highway 138 in the Antelope Valley was closed by running water and debris flows.
Portions of the 10 Freeway remained flooded Monday, particularly near Thousand Palms in Riverside County.
About 20,000 customers were without power in Southern California on Monday morning, according to Southern California Edison’s website. SCE President and Chief Executive Steve Powell told CNN that crews have been dispatched to restore electricity in affected areas.
Many areas across the coastal slopes and foothills in Los Angeles County and parts of Ventura County could receive up to 2 inches of additional rainfall Monday because of “very moist southwest flow” in the area, the weather service said.
Northern L.A. County and eastern Ventura County remained under a flood advisory until 8 a.m.
In Riverside County, Palm Springs said in a post on Facebook that its 911 lines were down early Monday. Residents were advised to text 911.
The Coachella Valley saw 2 to 4 inches of rain at lower elevations, including in Palm Springs and Indio, and about 4 to 6 inches farther west, the National Weather Service said.
In the San Bernardino County mountains, the communities of Wrightwood, Forrest Falls and Oak Glenn were hit with heavy debris flows Sunday, and recovery efforts were expected to begin Monday morning.
Brian Adams, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, said flooding remains a concern in the area.
“Any little bit of additional rainfall is going to probably cause some hazards out there,” Adams said.
Hilary wasn’t the only threat to strike Southern California in the last 24 hours. A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck near Ojai on Sunday afternoon, rattling the region. No damage was immediately reported.
Scientists were quick to say there was no connection between Hilary and the quake.