Hilary, which made history as the first tropical storm to hit California in 84 years, shattered rainfall records and caused widespread flooding and mudslides. Refresh this page to see the most recent updates on the recovery below.
Tropical Storm Hilary Homepage | Rainfall Totals
8:26 p.m. Monday – Officials with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power report that crews continue to restore power to customers who lost it during Sunday night’s tropical storm. “As of 7pm, ~6,350 customers are without power out of 1.5 million. We’ve restored power to ~45,175 customers since the start of the storm,” LADWP tweeted.
5:41 p.m. Monday – Residents of an apartment complex in Palm Desert were evacuated after residential flooding began to cause an electrical hazard, Cal Fire Riverside County reported.
4:10 p.m. Monday – Sky5 provided this aerial view of the mudslide damage in the Seven Oaks ares of the San Bernardino Mountains.
4 p.m. Monday – Lancaster and other areas of the Antelope Valley are also reeling from damage caused by the storm. Near Lake Los Angeles, streets were still flooded a day later.
Here’s Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris’ statement on the damage:
“In the wake of Hurricane Hilary, the resilience and preparation of our community have been truly evident. Even before the storm approached, our City’s Public Works Department was hard at work, strategizing and implementing preventive measures to mitigate its impact. Their swift action during and in the storm’s aftermath, from securing flooded zones, unclogging our drainage systems, to inspecting and repairing our vital infrastructure, underscores their dedication to the safety and well-being of our community.
It is during times like these that the strength and resilience of a community are truly tested, and I am proud to say that Lancaster has risen to the occasion.”
3:20 p.m. Monday – The Los Angeles County Department of Consume and Business Affairs is warning people affected by the storm to be mindful of those who prey on desperation.
“Price gouging is against the law!” the Department said in a statement. “With a local emergency due to #TropicalStormHilary, businesses cannot increase prices more than 10% in most circumstances. If you believe you are a victim of price gouging, save receipts and file an online complaint at http://stoppricegouging.dcba.lacounty.gov”
2:25 p.m. Monday – “I don’t know that we’re going to recover from this one”
KTLA’s Lauren Lyster reports from Oak Glen, one of the areas hardest hit by Tropical Storm Hilary. Click the image for video:
2:00 p.m. Monday – Riverside County has issued a State of Emergency proclamation due to the damage caused by Tropical Storm Hilary. Read the proclamation>>>
This emergency proclamation could help make the county eligible for potential federal and state assistance, including repairs to damaged areas. It also allows the county to quickly procure items necessary for emergency response and repair.
Responders from fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency management departments, public works agencies and flood control departments are currently assessing the damage caused by the Tropical Storm. Known damage at this point include a 911 outage in the Coachella Valley, flooding on the 10 Freeway, as well as in neighborhoods, business districts and roadways.
The cities of La Quinta and Palm Desert in Riverside County have also proclaimed a local emergency.
1:50 p.m. Monday – LAUSD classes resume Tuesday.
From Superintendent Alberto Carvalho:
Our emergency operations center team has been monitoring storm impacts to schools. We look forward to welcoming everyone back tomorrow morning. #SeeYouInSchool
1:02 p.m. Monday – Stay out of floodwater, says CDC
Floodwater can contain chemicals, sewage, bacteria, debris, and fallen power lines that put you at risk of disease and injury. Learn more about staying safe during a #flood: https://bit.ly/3txtVEp #Hilary
1:00 p.m. Monday – The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has released a list of impacted areas:
Forrest Falls: A large mud and debris flow occurred on Sunday, August 20th, cutting off access into and out of Forrest Falls.
Oak Glen:
• Oak Glen Road is washed out at Birch Creek.
• Potato Canyon has been affected by mud and debris flow.
• Highway 38 has been washed out at Onyx Summit.
• 7 Oaks Road has been washed out.
• The evacuation order for the Serrano Square neighborhood, south of Oak Glen Road, was lifted at 11:00 a.m.
Yucca Valley: Highway 247, at Pipes Canyon in Yucca Valley, is closed to all traffic.
All evacuation orders and shelter in place orders, with the exception of the Serrano Square neighborhood, remain in effect. There have been no reports of injuries or death as a result of this storm. Additional storm info: https://burnareainfo.sbcounty.gov/
12:20 p.m. Monday – Riverside County has proclaimed a local emergency in response to #tropicalstormhilary and its widespread effects, KTLA’s Shelby Nelson reports. This could help the county with state and federal resources. #InlandEmpire
12:00 p.m. Monday – From the Ventura County Fire Department:
As of 10:00PM last night, a weather station near Tolland Landfill in Santa Paula received the most rain – 4.6” over the past 24hrs. The majority of other locations across Ventura County have received 1”-3.5”. As forecasted, Eastern Ventura Co. received far more rain than Western.
11:50 a.m. Monday – From the National Weather Service:
#Hilary brought record rainfall to Srn CA and Srn Sierra and into Srn NV with rainfall amounts of 1-8 inches above average for the month-to date or more than 350% of average for the month to date (8/21).
11:00 a.m. Monday – From Los Angeles County:
Did the storm cause problems in your area? Call @lacopublicworks at 800-675-4357 to report fallen trees, potholes, traffic signal outages and flooding in County roads.
10:45 a.m. Monday – The Los Angeles Angels have rescheduled their Monday game against the Cincinnati Reds due to the storm.
The contest will now be part of a doubleheader on Wednesday, and all tickets for Monday’s game will be honored for the second game of the doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 6:38 p.m.
10:30 a.m. Monday – Sky5 found several vehicles trapped in mud in the Palm Springs area Monday morning. A man inside an RV gave KTLA’s helicopter a thumbs-up to indicate he and the other inhabitants were safe.
10:20 a.m. Monday – More powerful images from the storm and aftermath
A toppled tree from the tropical storm covers a car in Los Angeles on Aug. 21, 2023. (Stefanie Dazio/Associated Press) 
Maura Taura surveys the damaged cause by a downed tree outside her home after Tropical Storm Hilary went through on Aug. 21, 2023, in Sun Valley.(Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press) 
A man crosses a flooded intersection as Tropical Storm Hilary heads north into Palm Springs on Aug. 20, 2023. (DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images) 
An elderly woman crosses a street flooded by torrential rain brought by Tropical Storm Hilary, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, in Thousand Palms, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) 
First responders were captured on camera during a Aug. 20, 2023 river rescue. (TikTok @TacosAndLaw)
10:05 a.m. Monday – Los Angeles Unified School District campuses are closed Monday, but students can still pick up grab-and-go meals at certain schools. Here’s a list and map of the locations.
10 a.m. Monday – Six Flags Magic Mountain will be closed Monday due to the storm. The park will open as scheduled on Thursday, officials said in a tweet.
9:45 a.m. Monday – From Caltrans District 8:
Cajon Maintenance is working on punching a hole through a large debris flow that occurred yesterday evening when water and material crested the Sheep Creek bridge. Crews have 6-8 feet of material on the roadway to remove at this time. #Caltrans8
9:35 a.m. Monday – A tree came down on a home and vehicle in Sun Valley as crews take on the massive job of cleaning up in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Hilary.
9:30 a.m. Monday – Parts of Camarillo were evacuated due to flooding Sunday night. Footage from one home shows a powerful stream of water flowing down a driveway and covering Trueno Avenue in Camarillo Estates with several inches of water.
9 a.m. Monday – Cathedral City in the Coachella Valley was hit hard by Tropical Storm Hilary overnight.
Drone footage showed businesses along Highway 111 and several blocks of residential neighborhoods flooded with water.
8:55 a.m. Monday – A mudslide has closed the No. 5 line of the northbound 101 Freeway in Studio City.
The California Highway Patrol estimates the closure at Universal Studios Boulevard will last two hours.
8:50 a.m. Monday – LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho says classes will resume as normal tomorrow.
8:45 a.m. Monday – This satellite time-lapse from NOAA shows the storm has largely departed Southern California and spread out over the western U.S.
8:30 a.m. Monday – The National Weather Service has released updated rainfall totals for Southern California communities. The areas that received the most rainfall include:
- Raywood Flats (Riverside County): 10.55 inches
- Lewis Ranch (L.A. County): 7.04 inches
- Coto de Caza (Orange County): 2.76 inches
- Devore Fire Station (Inland Empire): 3.40 inches
- Whitewater Trout Farm (Coachella Valley): 6.37 inches
- Piru (Ventura County): 4.64 inches
