After causing mudslides, flooding, and water rescues across Southern California, Hurricane Hilary’s remnants pounded the Western United States on Monday, wreaking havoc from the mountains and deserts to the Pacific Ocean beaches.
Hurricane Hilary caused floods and mudslides in Southern Cal (Photo: Los Angeles Times)
Hurricane Hilary was unlike anything Southern Californian people have ever faced before
Roadways were washed out by rain and debris by Hurricane Hilary, leaving stranded cars in the water. By early Monday, Beverly Hills had received about 5 inches of rain, compared to roughly 7 inches in some areas of Los Angeles County. With 2.48 inches of rain, Sunday was the wettest August day recorded in Downtown Los Angeles.
A foot of rain fell atop Mount San Jacinto in Riverside County, more than 100 miles to the east. Coachella Valley nearby was severely affected, and Palm Springs police stated at one point on Sunday that 911 lines were down, forcing locals to text 911 or call the closest police or fire station. Eisenhower Medical Center floodwaters were removed by Rancho Mirage workers that were caused by Hurricane Hilary, Residents in Palm Desert were warned to stay inside or travel cautiously while workers cleared away fallen trees and reduced flooding.
The National Weather Service advised that Hurricane Hilary may still cause “life-threatening and locally catastrophic flooding” in portions of the Southwest, thus businesses, schools, and offices were shuttered throughout the area.
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After the effect of Hurricane Hilary
One of the most notable results of Hurricane Hilary’s trek through Southern California was the abundance of mud where it didn’t belong, which resulted in traffic jams due to layers of sludge thick enough to trap SUVs after Hurricane Hilary strikes.
Crews were attempting to remove the mud that had been obstructing the homes of around 800 homeowners in the San Bernardino Mountains on Monday, according to Cal Fire Battalion Chief Alison Hesterly. One of them was a couple in the Oak Glen neighborhood whose home was encircled by four feet of mud.
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