L.A. coastline, Catalina Island brace for damaging impact of Hurricane Hilary
While desert and mountain areas are expected to get the brunt of Hurricane Hilary as it moves into Southern California, officials are also preparing for damage and other rescues along the coast.
A flood watch is set to take effect along the coast from San Diego to Ventura counties, beginning as early as Saturday morning and lasting through Monday night.
Inland counties such as Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial also will have a flood watch in effect through Monday.
On Catalina Island, officials have developed possible evacuation routes and rescue plans in case of emergencies. Officials have also added a third rescue boat on the island, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
Tropical Storm Hilary threatens heavy rains, flash flooding, high winds and intense surf across Southern California this weekend. Here’s what to expect.
“It’s been 84 years since [a hurricane] came ashore, so it’s a once in a lifetime event,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn. “This is really an all-hands on deck effort.”
Zachary Plopper, senior environmental director with the Surfrider Foundation, said the giant surf projected along the storm’s path could exacerbate beach erosion and sand loss.
“With the big swells, we’d expect a lot sand to move and wash away, so shorefront homeowners and businesses should be on the look out for that,” he said. “Just treat it like a big winter storm, in a way, it’s just coming from a different direction.”
Beaches that aren’t typically impacted by big surf could get hit hard, he added, particularly in the north Orange County and south Los Angeles areas where much of the swell will occur.
“Seal Beach, Long Beach, even San Pedro could see some significant beach loss or erosion from the storm as well.”
Hurricane Hilary is a reminder to sign up for services that alert you when storms, extreme heat, earthquakes, tsunamis or fires threaten or hit an area.
The National Weather Service offered the following forecast for the storm, which will hit coastal areas Sunday and Monday.
- High surf (5 to 9 feet)
- Strong winds
- Dangerous rip currents
- Coastal flooding/beach erosion
- Dangerous conditions for south- and southeast-facing harbors
- Catalina Island could be affected
Luna urged residents to heed the warnings and make preparations.
“I don’t want people to panic, we have to find that sweet spot,” Luna said. “But we need to be prepared.”
Climate change and El Niño are contributing to conditions in the eastern Pacific that make hurricanes more likely.
The department’s search and rescue, swift water rescue, and rescue aircraft have already been placed on alert in case of emergencies, he said, and the department also plans to deploy additional personnel starting Sunday, when the bulk of the storm’s force is expected to reach the county.
One particular area of concern has been the homeless population, as people sometimes settle in waterway areas across the county.
Deputies on Friday began working with county outreach teams to contact anyone who may be in a riverbed.
Deputies have driven near the riverbeds, making speaker announcements that the areas will not be safe during the storm. Deputies will also be flying over some of the rivers areas to spot encampments in hopes of making contact with homeless people who may be in the area and relocating them to a safer area.
An unprecedented tropical storm watch has been issued for Southern California as Hilary barrels north toward the United States.
A high-risk warning for flash flooding was issued for much of inland Southern California — from the San Bernardino Mountains through the Coachella Valley and down into Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This is the first time in more than a decade that such a warning has been issued for the low deserts east of the Southern California mountains, areas that remain typically dry, especially in the summer.
Some desert areas are expected to receive at least a year’s worth of rain during this storm, officials with the National Weather Service said.
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