Encino, CA

Southern Californians were bracing for significant heavy rainfall and extensive flooding as a "very dangerous and significant" Hurricane Hilary rolls ashore this weekend, forecasters and officials said.

Hilary weakened to a Category 2 hurricane Saturday and will still be a hurricane when it reaches the West Coast of the Baja California peninsula Saturday night. However, it's expected to weaken into a tropical storm as it approaches Southern California Sunday afternoon.

For the first time, a tropical storm watch was placed in parts of Southern California Friday from the California-Mexico border to the Orange-Los Angeles County line, and on Catalina Island.

"We are expecting a rare and dangerous rainfall event with significant flash flooding, river flooding, mudslides and debris flows, as well as the potential for wind damage from strong, tropical storm-force winds," Courtney Carpenter with the National Weather Service said at a news conference Saturday.

Located about 640 miles south-southeast of San Diego Saturday afternoon, Hilary was considered "large and powerful" by the National Hurricane Center with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph.

Officials also said residents should brace for widespread power outages and a potential for isolated tornadoes.

Residents of Southern California were already beginning to feel Hilary's impacts in the form of rainfall on Saturday, according to Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

"Make no mistake. This is a very, very dangerous and significant storm," she said.

Hilary sped up and took a slight eastward shift in its track, the National Weather Service in San Diego said early Saturday, meaning its most significant impacts will be from Sunday morning through the evening.

The National Weather Service encourages residents to secure valuables around homes and avoid driving on flooded roads.

When will Hilary hit Southern California?

Despite Hilary weakening on approach, parts of Southern California were beginning to see impacts Saturday, as predicted by AccuWeather meteorologist Scott Homan.

"The impacts of the storm will be well ahead of (it) as lots of moisture gets strung northward into the storm system and then moves north into California," Homan told USA TODAY.

He said Los Angeles, Anaheim, Santa Barbara and San Diego could see about 4 inches of rainfall while desert areas like Palm Springs and the Sierra Nevadas face the potential of 4 to 8 inches.

Hurricane season is about to start:Tech can help you prepare for natural disasters

Zion, Joshua Tree, Death Valley national parks at risk for flooding

California national parks Joshua Tree and Death Valley as well as Zion in Utah are at risk of flooding due to the torrential rains caused by Hilary.

The National Park Service issued a flood warning for Zion, advising visitors to avoid slot canyons — long, narrow passageways with rock walls on either side. Vulnerable parts of Joshua Tree National Park's desert landscape closed Friday evening for an indefinite amount of time in preparation for Hilary, including Geology Tour Road.

Death Valley National Park's normally bone-dry landscape may turn into a massive lake, according to a report from AccuWeather. Meteorologists say that the park could face between 2 and 4 inches of rain, higher than the annual average of less than an inch.

Residents brace for Hilary with sandbags

From Seal Beach to the Coachella Valley, emergency response workers are giving out sandbags in preparation for the potential of severe flooding caused by Hilary.

Workers also re-enforced sand berm, meant to protect low-lying coastal communities like Huntington Beach from winter surf.

Carpenter said people should rush to finish their preparations for the storm on Saturday, because heavy rainfall was expected to start well in advance of the center of the storm.

The Palm Springs area could see about 5 inches of rain, more than a year's worth, according to forecasters.

Contributing: Eric Lagatta

All eyes are on Hurricane Hilary, which was upgraded from a tropical storm on Thursday as it churns off the Pacific coast of Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center is forecasting Hilary will hit Southern California as a tropical storm or perhaps a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday into Monday.

“This could develop into a major deal,” says KTLA meteorologist Henry DiCarlo. “It looks like it’s going to slide right through Southern California, so we’re going to get a couple of inches of rain out of this, if not more.”

Track with interactive radar

While the forecast models will likely change, the National Weather Service is currently predicting rainfall amounts of one to four inches along the Southern California coast, including San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Heavier amounts, four to ten inches or more, are expected in the inland deserts.

“Borrego Springs and the Coachella Valley should bear the brunt of this storm. Palm Springs could get really drenched,” DiCarlo said.

All of Southern California and areas of Arizona and Nevada could potentially see flash flooding, according to the NWS.

Meteorologists say it is too early to determine the location and magnitude of wind impacts in the U.S.

“The wind potential with the tropical cyclone is still elevated,” NWS said. “Breezy to locally windy conditions are possible as the tropical cyclone circulation moves over the region … These values are expected to be largely below tropical storm force based on the latest [data].”

While tropical storms and hurricanes are extremely rare in Southern California due to the cool Pacific waters, they are not unheard of.

If Hilary reaches SoCal as a hurricane, it would be the first to hit the region since 1858.

A historic weather front that slammed a wide swath of Southern California with stunning snow, record rains, and flooding that prompted air rescues eased its grip Sunday — but more harsh weather is expected this week across the state.

The first of two new storms brought rain and snow Sunday to northern California. Blizzard warnings will go into effect at 4 a.m. Monday and will last until Wednesday for much of the Sierra Nevada.

“Extremely dangerous and near to impossible mountain travel is expected due to heavy snow and strong wind,” the weather service’s Sacramento office warned on Twitter.

The snow won't sweep down to the edge of coastal cities as it did in recent days, but this week's forecast for Los Angeles does call for high temperatures in the low 50s — about 15 degrees below normal.

More than 61,500 homes and businesses in the state remained without power Sunday afternoon after days of fierce winds, rains, and snow that toppled trees and downed power lines.

“A remarkable storm the last few days with historic amounts of precip and snow down to elevations that rarely see snow,” forecasters with the weather service in Los Angeles wrote.

Meteorologist Mark Moede said the winter storm would "exit Southern California this morning and there will be a brief break in the weather" but that rain and mountain snow is expected to return Monday through Wednesday.

Meanwhile, millions of Americans were also bracing for dangerous conditions, from ice storms in Michigan to tornadoes in Texas.

Developments:

• More than 7 inches of rain fell in Ventura County northwest of Los Angeles, causing flash flooding that left cars stranded on roadways Saturday.

• Los Angeles Fire Department ground and air responders rescued four people and five animals from flooding in Encino, California, about 25 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

• At the storm's peak, up to 10 inches of rain fell in lower elevations and some mountain areas were blasted with more than 5 feet of snow.

A BLIZZARD IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:What to know about weird weather.

Michigan struggles with outages, braces for next storm

More than 217,000 homes and businesses remained in the dark across southeast Michigan on Sunday night days after storms knocked out power to close to 1 million customers. The utilities that serve the area said they hope to restore electricity to the majority of affected customers by night's end.

Another round of severe weather could be headed to the region Monday.

The weather service said the "potential continues" for strong wind gusts accompanied by sleet, freezing rain, and potentially heavy snowfall. The weather service in Grand Rapids, Michigan, warned that more power outages were possible and commutes could be messy.

"Bad: Additional freezing rain & ice accumulation expected Monday," the weather service tweeted. "Good: Accumulations should be less and stay north of ice storm impacted areas."

Tornado confirmed in Oklahoma

High wind watches and warnings extended to more than 60 million Americans from Ohio to New Mexico. An extensive swath of severe thunderstorms that could fuel winds in excess of 75 mph was expected to slam the eastern Texas Panhandle across parts of Oklahoma to the western Ozarks region.

"A derecho is forecast with widespread damaging winds and embedded swaths of significant severe gusts," said Roger Edwards, a forecaster with the weather service's Storm Prediction Center. Derechos carry high winds and move fast in a straight line.

Edwards added that a few tornadoes also are possible "with potential for significant/EF2+ damage." EF2 tornadoes drive winds of up to 135 mph.

Meanwhile, warning sirens were heard in Oklahoma City late Sunday as dangerous winds entered the city. The National Weather Service in Norman confirmed a tornado between Lone Wolf, Oklahoma, and Hobart, Oklahoma.

The city urged residents to take immediate shelter upon hearing a siren and to get more information about the storm.

Snow stuns residents of some California cities

A mix of warm atmospheric river air and cold air from Alaska conspired to bring a dusting of snow to high desert areas of Southern California valleys Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Rare snow fell Saturday in Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana in San Bernardino County. With snow reaching down from the mountains to as low as 1,000 feet, the hills around Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, were white. Snow also surprised residents of inland suburbs.

Some parts of the high desert saw more than a foot of snow.

As snow blanketed the communities of Pinon Hills and Phelan in San Bernardino County, some residents were seen trudging through the thick snow. Others took advantage of the rare event and sled down the white hills.

"Areas in the Inland Empire near Fontana, Rialto, and Devore have now picked up more snow this winter than New York City and Philadelphia," the National Weather Service in San Diego said Saturday.

In the mountains, the University of California, Berkeley, Central Sierra Snow Lab said the four-day total near Donner Summit in the Sierra Nevada had reached more than 56 inches.

"Snow will pickup again tomorrow with several substantial storms expected to drop another 5-10 feet through Weds!" the lab tweeted.

Los Angeles sees more than 2 inches of rain in one day

Downtown Los Angeles saw 2.29 inches of rain Friday, making it the wettest February day in 20 years, AccuWeather reported. The single-day rainfall was more than 20 times greater than the total rainfall from the past three Februarys, which combined for only 0.10 of an inch.

In Santa Clarita's Valencia neighborhood, about 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles, county officials said the heavy rains eroded an embankment at an RV park and swept multiple motorhomes into the Santa Clara River. Video showed one of the RVs toppled on its side and a large tree falling into the river. A representative from the RV park said no one was injured.

"I was just kinda taken aback by the way people didn't take heed that the water was going to be coming in as strong as it did," resident Edwin Dockus told KCAL-TV.

Southern California has seen days of extremely rare and even unprecedented winter weather – San Diego issued its first-ever blizzard warning Friday, and Los Angeles issued its first such warning in 34 years. In Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Area saw a light dusting of snow, and Yosemite National Park was closed through March 1 because of winter weather.

California chill extends east to nearby states

It's not only California that's dealing with unusually chilly weather as March approaches.

The notion of toasty spring training games in Arizona and a comfortable stroll down The Strip in Las Vegas is taking a hit this year as Pacific storms from the north make their way east.

High temperatures won’t climb above 65 degrees until Saturday in Phoenix, the heart of the 15-team Cactus League that serves as an escape from the cold for thousands of baseball fans every year.

Las Vegas, another desert city often blessed with plenty of sunshine, is expecting to greet the arrival of March on Wednesday with rain and a high of 49 before climbing into the 60s on Saturday.

By then, Los Angeles residents will be able to shed the parkas but not the sweaters as the mercury will only reach 65 degrees because of a new cold front that figures to keep temperatures well below the norm several days into March.

Contributing: Josh Dulaney, The Oklahoman; Eric Woomer, Victorville Daily Press; The Associated Press

The arrival of spring after an unusually wet winter brings with it a superbloom.

Some meccas for flower tourism, including Lake Elsinore with its golden poppies, were harmed enough by crowds in 2019 that visitors have been warned to stay away this year.

On the other hand, some naturalists think that closing parks to visitors defeats their purpose: to foster connection between residents and wildlife and encourage conservation.

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After an unprecedented series of winter storms, outdoor enthusiasts are expecting an unprecedented abundance of flowers.

There’s no scientific definition for what constitutes a superbloom, Daniel Winkler, a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, told The Times.

“The superbloom is really a cultural phenomenon, where people decide that there are enough flowers here, right now, that we’ll call it a superbloom,” Winkler said.

Joan Dudney, an assistant professor at the department of environmental studies at UC Santa Barbara, has ventured all over California to witness the superbloom.

Lifestyle

Feb. 28, 2023

“It’s really hard as a naturalist to enjoy the places that are overrun with tourists and Instagram models and people that are not used to being out in these places,” Dudney said, adding that visitors are too often “out there for the spectacle” and “haven’t yet developed a connection with these natural spaces.”

As a first step for those seeking a deeper connection with the flora they see, she suggests downloading the Seek app by iNaturalist, which can identify plant species.

The California Department of Parks and Recreation recommends seven sites in Southern California where visitors can see the blooms, which have already arrived and, in many cases, are projected to continue for about a month. They are sorted by distance from downtown Los Angeles.

Chino Hills State Park: Guests are advised to look for flowers along Bane Road and the nearby Bane Ridge Trail at this park, the closest to Los Angeles on our list. “This year, the flowers that are blooming include canterbury and school bells, arroyo lupine, and California poppy,” the parks department said. 35 miles from downtown L.A.

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Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: West of Lancaster, this hillside is home to the Poppy Cam.” The hillsides at the Poppy Reserve are starting to show vivid pinks from filaree and vibrant yellows from large swaths of goldfields,” the parks department said, and more poppies are expected to bloom in the coming weeks. The best spots: Antelope Trail North Loop and Kitanemuk Vista Point. 70 miles from downtown L.A.

Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area: East of Bakersfield. Over the next month, Jawbone Canyon will continue to bloom, featuring “lavender Lacy Phacelia and brilliant yellow desert dandelions,” per the parks department. 120 miles from downtown L.A.

Red Rock Canyon State Park: Also east of Bakersfield, the park’s Hagen Canyon, Iron Canyon — where four-wheel drive is recommended — and the area around the visitor center are in bloom for another month.Flowers include “desert dandelions, blue dicks, desert or wild parsley, and red maids,” according to the parks department, as well as blooming Joshua trees and bladderpod. 120 miles from downtown L.A.

Tule Elk State Natural Reserve: Southwest of Bakersfield, the natural reserve currently features “large patches of goldfields and filaree blooming,” the parks department said. The tule elk there are also growing their antlers. 125 miles from downtown L.A.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: Located between San Diego and the Salton Sea, Anza-Borrego is the largest state park in California. “Visitors can see remaining sand verbena and desert sunflowers along the east side of Henderson Canyon Road in the northern end of the park and sand verbena at June Wash along S2 in the southern end of the park,” according to the Department of Parks and Recreation. 150 miles from downtown L.A.

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park: Yellow goldfields at this park are in bloom and may last another month, according to the parks department. The park is northwest of Bakersfield. 160 miles from downtown L.A.

Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this report.

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