Southern California hit by strong winds, rain and damaging coastal flooding as Rachel makes landfall
The center of Post-Tropical Storm Rachel made landfall in northern Baja California Saturday night and had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Long Beach residents are preparing for potentially damaging flooding. A steady stream of water was pouring down an alley between 64th and 63rd Place on Sunday morning as public workers set up water pumps.
- The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning in parts of San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties, including a swath of the Coachella Valley, as well as the cities of El Cajon, Santee and Blythe.
- Radar indicated intense overnight rain in the Coachella Valley, including southeastern Palm Springs, Coachella, Palm Desert, Indio and Rancho Mirage, with rainfall rates of three-quarters of an inch to one inch per hour.
- Post-Tropical Storm Rachel could damage porches, awnings, carports, sheds, unanchored mobile homes, and snap off large tree branches, posing a safety risk, the weather service office said.
- In Los Angeles County, rain is expected to be light to moderate, ranging from about a quarter of an inch to an inch across much of the region.
Flood warnings and advisories extend beyond SoCal coast
Coastal flood warnings or advisories stretched up the California coast from San Diego to Santa Cruz, and encircled much of San Francisco Bay.
Forecasters also warned of a risk of flooding in Southern California’s mountains and deserts from the rain.
Overnight, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning in parts of San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties, including a swath of the Coachella Valley, as well as the cities of El Cajon, Santee and Blythe.
‘It’s coming’: Long Beach scrambles to prepare for Rachel’s high tide
City of Long Beach workers scrambled Sunday morning to build a sand berm stretching westward from 62nd Place on the Long Beach peninsula, with less than two hours before high tide.
City groundskeeper Robert Quinonez, who was spotting for the track hoe operator, said he didn’t believe they could build the berm high enough in time to prevent water from spilling into the street like it did Saturday. The residential street was half covered in sand left over from the prior day’s onslaught, and sandbags lined front doors and garages.
Evacuations in place along Long Beach peninsula
A mandatory evacuation order was issued on Friday on the Long Beach Peninsula for a few homes on Seaside Walk, between the 64th and 66th blocks. On Saturday, an evacuation warning was issued for homes on 64th, 65th and 66th places south of Ocean Boulevard, and for homes in the 6200, 6300, 6600 and 6700 blocks of Seaside Walk.
An evacuation advisory was in place for all of Naples Island, Treasure Island and all other residents of the Peninsula.
Long Beach Marathon tweaks route due to Rachel
The Long Beach Marathon is going on despite Rachel, but with a route change.
Organizers said a small portion of the marathon that ran along a beach path will be re-routed inland as a precaution.
Newport, Long Beach, other coastal areas brace for high tides this morning
On the Southern California coast, the weather service’s San Diego office said Sunday morning would carry the highest flooding risks along Orange County and San Diego County coast as swells, onshore winds and high tides combine. High tide on Sunday morning is at 9:43 a.m. in La Jolla and 9:48 a.m. in Newport Beach.
High tide Sunday morning in Los Angeles County is around 9:49 a.m. The weather service’s Oxnard office warned that south-facing beaches of Los Angeles County could experience the worst coastal flooding of the season — exceeding the considerable damage caused by swells from a distant Hurricane Marie over Labor Day weekend, which damaged homes on the Long Beach Peninsula and in Malibu and Dana Point.
Rain pounds Las Vegas, desert areas as Rachel moves through
Rachel was dumping heavy rain in Las Vegas and desert areas of California and Nevada.
The National Weather Service reported flooding in West Las Vegas and issued flood advisories for Kingman, Lake Havasu CIty, Western Las Vegas Valley and Death Valley and Primm, among other locations.
Kelvin wave hitting Southern California: What to expect as El Niño threatens the coast again
The Kelvin wave bearing down on Southern California this week is not the kind that draws surfers.
You don’t see it crash on shore, and by itself, it’s probably not even noticeable. But it can have a profound effect, adding 6 to 12 inches to background sea levels, potentially for months.
How much rain will Rachel bring?
So how much rain should L.A. get from Rachel?
According to the National Weather Service, the L.A. area has a strong chance of rain Sunday and Monday with a slight chance of some rain Tuesday morning.
Rain amounts of one-quarter of an inch to 1 inch will be common in much of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, but could reach 1.5 to 3 inches in the San Gabriel Mountains.
In San Diego, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, initial forecasts included half an inch to 1.5 inches will be common in coastal areas and deserts, although mountains could get 1 to 3 inches. But San Diego County mountains received more than 3 inches of rain by 6 a.m. Sunday.
Rachel is now a Post-Tropical Cyclone as it moves inland
As of 5 a.m, what is left of Post-Tropical Cyclone Rachel was rolling though the California desert, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Rachel is “moving toward the north near 25 mph and this motion is expected to continue today as Rachel moves farther inland over the southwest United States,” the center said. “Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 40 mph with higher gusts. Rachel should continue to weaken and dissipate later today.”
Rachel moves inland with rain, wind, flood danger
Rachel arrived in Baja California late Saturday night and is now bringimg heavy winds and rain to portions of Mexico, Southern California and other parts of the Southwest.
Flash flood warnings were issued for some areas including Dana Point, Indio, Palm Desert and El Cajon.
High tide this morning could bring more coastal flooding to places like San Diego, Newport Beach and Long Beach.
Long Beach Peninsula, already battered, fears more damage with Rachel
The Long Beach peninsula, already battered by weeks of high surf, is bracing for more problems Sunday with Post-Tropical Storm Rachel.
On Friday, waves topped the bulkhead and sent water into homes and streets, according to city officials. Inspectors red-tagged eight buildings across 13 addresses, including apartments, and yellow-tagged at least one, Mayor Rex Richardson said Saturday. A red tag marks a building as unsafe to enter, and a yellow tag restricts its use.
What to expect as Rachel moves in
Here are some key things to look for Sunday as Post-Tropical Storm Rachel impacts Southern California:
- The National Weather Service said Sunday morning would carry the highest flooding risks along the Orange and San Diego coasts as swells, onshore winds and high tides combine.
- The center of Rachel was expected to move onshore in northern Baja California on Saturday night and into Sunday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.
- Most coastal areas could get about an inch or a little less. Some mountain areas could get more than four inches.
- Many areas west of the mountains will stay in the 60s on Monday, and Big Bear may only reach the 40s, Roser said. Temperatures should warm by the end of the week, he said.
- Inland, southern San Bernardino County faces at least a 40% chance of excessive rain that could result in flash flooding through Saturday night, said Julie Phillipson, lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. “Our primary concern is still the heavy rains and the flooding that can occur.”
Oceanfront residents in Long Beach are under an evacuation order
Coastal communities bracing for Rachel amid flood threat
Coastal communities including Newport Beach, Lomg Beach, San Diego, Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach are bracing for high tide Sunday morning as Rachel moves through the region.
Rachel is expected to pass to the south but should create wave action to the north.
Rachel is rare for the weather history books thanks to El Nino
The center of Post-Tropical Storm Rachel made landfall in northern Baja California Saturday night with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
In the modern record, only two storms have passed through the state at tropical-storm strength.
