Southern California begins major cleanup after Tropical Storm Hilary
Tropical Storm Hilary brought historic rainfall to the Southern California region.
Watch CBS News
Tropical Storm Hilary brought historic rainfall to the Southern California region.
Brian Hackney explains how warm ocean waters fueled Hurricane Hilary on its historic path to Southern California (8-21-2023)
Hilary was the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years, flooding roads and causing mudslides and rock slides as it barreled north.
The storm was hitting the southwestern U.S. and could bring "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding," according to the National Hurricane Center.
The Bay Area's unsettled weather is the result of two distinct meteorological patterns -- a low-pressure system hanging out just off the coast and the remnants of Tropical Storm Hilary.
Hilary dropped more than half an average year's worth of rain on some areas, including Palm Springs, which saw nearly 3.18 inches of rain by Sunday evening.
Hilary was downgraded a few hours before landfall to a tropical storm as rain from the storm started spreading in Southern California, the National Weather Service said.
It is extremely rare for California to be hit with tropical storms or hurricanes — but it has happened before.
Precipitation from Hurricane Hilary could challenge emergency resources from across the state. John Ramos reports. (8-19-23)
As Hurricane Hilary takes a path toward California, forecasters are looking closely at the expected effects in the Bay Area from what would be another rare weather event, a tropical storm that would bring heavy rain and flooding to the state.
Hurricane Hilary strengthened into a major storm Thursday evening off Mexico's Pacific coast and it could bring heavy rain to the southwestern U.S. by the weekend.