Hilary hitting San Diego coast with up to 2 inches of rain and strong winds

Tropical Storm Hilary is expected to lash San Diego County with heavy rain and strong winds Sunday, Aug. 20, intensifying as the day goes on, the National Weather Service said.

The former hurricane, which has been moving up the coast of Baja California, was downgraded to a tropical storm early Sunday. It is moving north-northwest at 25 mph and will take a direct path through San Diego County, forecasters said.

The county is under a tropical storm warning for the first time in history. San Diego last took a direct hit from a tropical storm in September 1939.

News

San Diego offers sandbags to residents and issues storm tips in preparation for Hilary

Residents of council District 1, which includes La Jolla, can get up to 10 empty sandbags at the Pacific Beach Recreation Center to aid against potential flooding.

Aug. 18, 2023

Forecasters said Hilary will drop 1½ to 2 inches of rain at the coast, 2 to 2½ inches across inland valleys, 5 to 10 inches in the mountains — with some spots getting 12 inches — and 5 to 7 inches in the deserts.

The heaviest rain is expected between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, tapering off after that and clearing out Monday.

Interactive radar of Tropical Storm Hilary

(National Weather Service)

The weather service said it is worried about the potential speed of some downpours. It’s possible the rain will fall at the rate of a quarter-inch an hour at the coast, which could cause flooding.

Forecasters say they are just as concerned about wind, which will come out of the south at the coast.

On Sunday, the entire county will get hit by tropical storm-force winds — which refer to sustained winds of 40 mph or higher. Such gusts can rip boats from moorings, snap tree limbs and stress power lines.

People walk along the coast at La Jolla Shores as Tropical Storm Hilary approached Sunday, Aug. 20.

(K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for San Diego County as well as 14 other counties in the storm’s path. The declaration is designed to get various emergency services to affected communities fast, including water rescue teams from the California National Guard.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria signed a local emergency proclamation Sunday that enables the city to acquire state and federal disaster resources if needed.

Rainwater from Tropical Storm Hilary streams off a wall near the La Jolla Shores beach Aug. 20.

(Ana Lombrozo)

Here are some notable storm-related closures in La Jolla:

• The San Diego Unified School District, which operates five public schools in La Jolla, will delay the start of its new school year from Monday to Tuesday, Aug. 22.

• The weekly La Jolla Open Aire Market is closed Sunday.

• All city of San Diego beaches, parks and public buildings, including libraries and recreation centers, are closed Sunday and Monday.

• State beaches are closed Sunday and Monday.

• Birch Aquarium is closed Sunday.

• All YMCA facilities are closed Sunday.

• Torrey Pines Golf Course is closed Sunday and Monday.

• A concert Sunday night by Eliades Ochoa at UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater has been postponed. No new date was set.

— San Diego Union-Tribune staff writers David Garrick and Abby Hamblin and La Jolla Light staff contributed to this report. ◆