Jacob Margolis
covers science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters, as well as investigations and accountability.
Updated August 20, 2023 12:22 PM
Published August 18, 2023 11:54 AM
Hurricane Hilary off the coast of Mexico, as documented by the GOES-18 satellite on August 18, 2023.
(
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
)
Topline:
Hurricane Hilary is now a Category 3 storm with winds hear 115 mph, and it looks like it's headed straight for Southern California, according to forecasts from the National Hurricane Center.
Be smart and avoid driving Sunday night through Monday morning if you can. Treat this like you would an atmospheric river during the winter.
Why it matters: Heavy rainfall is likely to result in debris flows and flash floods. Desert communities out in places like the Antelope Valley could see flooded roads, especially at low water crossings.
The backstory: For the first time ever, the National Hurricane Center has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for areas across Southern California. The last time we were directly hit by a tropical storm was back in 1939, when one made landfall in Long Beach.
What's next: There'll be a chance of showers on Saturday night, but the storm is expected to hit Southern California on Sunday, with the most intense rain and wind striking at night and sticking around into Monday morning.
Go deeper: We have a FAQ on Hurricane Hilary here.
Hilary is officially a tropical storm, according to the National Weather Service. So no longer a hurricane, but it's forecast to pack a wallop still, with heavy rains and wind, bringing potential flooding and mudslides.
Hilary has weakened to a Tropical Strom and is expected to make it into SoCal this afternoon. Expect periods of heavy rain; areas of flooding especially in the mtns and deserts; and strong winds especially in San Diego Co, east Inland Empire, mtns, and deserts. Be safe!#CAwxpic.twitter.com/TNXEfzFgV4
A satellite view of the storm's path taken Sunday.
(
Courtesy NOAA
)
The rain has started to hit many areas in Southern California, with the most intense rain and wind striking at night and sticking around into Monday morning. Rainfall in the city of Los Angeles is expected to total about 1.5 to 3 inches, with winds from 20-30 mph.
Conditions are expected to be much worse in the valley and mountain regions. At a press conference Sunday morning, L.A. Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said those areas can expect 3 to 7 inches of rain and Santa Ana-like winds up to 40 mph, with gusts to 50 mph.
A state of emergency is in effect for much of Southern California.
All state beaches in Orange and San Diego counties are temporarily closed. Camping is canceled in affected areas, and some inland parks are closed due to flooding concerns.
The L.A. Unified School District will announce later in the day on Sunday whether schools will be open or closed on Monday.
Flash flood warnings and watches are in effect throughout the region.
Flash Flood Warning including Santa Clarita CA, Lancaster CA and Palmdale CA until 6:30 PM PDT pic.twitter.com/6mlkQ1Ht8e
Here’s an excerpt from our guide to understanding flood warnings:
Flood advisories are how the NWS begins to raise the alarm. The goal is to give people enough time to take action.
Flood watches are your indicators to get prepared to move.
Aflood warning is issued when a hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. When one is issued for your area, you need to get to higher ground immediately.
A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is coming or in progress. Flash floods are sudden and violent floods that can start within minutes.
The storm was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm by the time it reaches us, in part because colder waters off our coast deplete the energy needed to sustain a hurricane.
Our dramatic, mountainous topography will also help to break up the storm, according to Paul Iñiguez, meteorologist with the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at the Scripps Institute for Oceanography.
“They’re large speed bumps in the air,” he said.
Rainfall totals could reach 6+ inches in our desert areas according to this forecast from August 18.
(
National Hurricane Center
)
The difference between a hurricane and a tropical storm is wind speed, and regardless of what Hilary is downgraded to, one thing's for certain: it's going to bring enough rain to threaten communities, particularly those in the mountains and deserts.
We could see flash floods across the southwestern U.S., particularly in desert areas due to Hurricane Hilary.
(
National Hurricane Center
)
Tropical storm and flood watches have been issued by the National Weather Service for counties across Southern California.
The Tropical Strom Watch has been expanded to include ALL of LOS ANGELES County, as well as mountains, valley and foothills of Ventura County. pic.twitter.com/zL6SX9vO50
Rainfall: Expect 2-4 inches across many metro areas, and potentially more than 6 inches in the mountains and deserts. Rainfall rates could hit 0.5 to 1 inches per hour, meaning debris flows and flash floods are very much a possibility.
Wind: Should be around 20-30 mph, with gusts up to 73 mph in some spots. That's strong enough to potentially cause power outages and downed trees. Comparable to a strong Santa Ana wind event.
Violent seas: South-facing beaches are particularly vulnerable and could see waves up to 10 feet high. There's also a high risk of rip currents. Boaters should seek safe harbor on Sunday and Monday due to dangerous conditions.
How emergency responders are preparing
State and federal officials from California Office of Emergency Services, Caltrans and other agencies provided updates on hurricane preparations on Saturday.
Their message for Southern Californians was clear: Stay off the roads during the peak hours of the storm between Sunday and Monday.
"If you must travel and you encounter water flowing across the roadways do not attempt to drive through it," said Tony Tavares, director of Caltrans, adding that the department may close roadways preemptively to ensure road safety.
Additional resources across the state have been summoned for support, including in emerency medical services and local sheltering operations.
And a number of military rescue vehicles are placed throughout the region.
"We also have other capabilities, soldiers, airmen who are standing by and will be prepared to respond as the need arises," said Colonel David Kauffman from the California Military Department.
On Saturday afternoon, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's office issued evacuation warnings for the communities of Oak Glen, Forest Falls, Mountain Home Village, Angelus Oaks, and Northeast Yucaipa.
S.B County Sheriff: Evac Warning for the communities of Oak Glen, Forest Falls, Mountain Home Village, Angelus Oaks, and NE Yucaipa for incoming storm system pic.twitter.com/qE9oup9GBF
— San Bernardino County Sheriff (@sbcountysheriff) August 19, 2023
As for the city of Los Angeles, it has issued an emergency alert and has activated its Emergency Operations Center, has a fully staffed fire department on standby and is expanding its 311 operating hours. The L.A. Department of Water and Power also has crews available to respond to power issues.
“Whether it be wildfires or earthquakes the city is prepared,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass during a news conference on Friday afternoon.
The L.A. County Department of Public Works has been clearing debris basins and culverts, and fixing roads across unincorporated areas since last spring, when the last of the atmospheric rivers slammed into us. They have teams ready to deploy in case of incident, as do Orange and Ventura counties.
"We're preparing for the worst, but the forecast is not out of line with what we were dealing with this last winter," said Steven Frasher, public information officer with L.A. public works.
Both L.A. and Ventura county fire departments are preparing for swift water rescues.
The city of Avalon on Catalina Island is expected to be one of the hardest hit spots. As such, L.A. County has preemptively deployed an additional rescue boat and personnel to the island.
Some south and southeast facing beaches are being shored up in anticipation of a storm surge, including Seal Beach in Orange Count as it's particularly vulnerable. Long Beach, San Pedro, Point Mugu and Port Hueneme are as well.
What's the risk?
Heavy rainfall is likely to result in debris flows and flash floods. Desert communities out in places like the Antelope Valley could see flooded roads, especially at low water crossings.
Be smart and avoid driving Sunday night through Monday morning if you can. Treat this like you would a powerful atmospheric river.
For the first time ever, the National Hurricane Center has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for areas across Southern California. The last time we were directly hit by a tropical storm was back in 1939, when one made landfall in Long Beach, according to the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
While the track of this storm is unusual, the hurricane itself is not.
“So far this season has played out as expected,” said Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center.
Tropical cyclones regularly form off the coast of Southwest Mexico between May and November. While they usually track west out into the Pacific, they can head north toward Baja.
Sometimes they do indirectly impact Southern California. In September 2022, Hurricane Kay dropped more than 5 inches of rain on the area, causing flooding and damaging homes.
Cancellations
The Dodgers, Angels and Padres have all had their Sunday home games moved to Saturday, so they'll all be playing double headers.
Meanwhile, "CicLAvia—Koreatown meets Hollywood" has been canceled for Sunday. Organizers on Saturday announced that while the event "has always gone on rain or shine, the weather is just too unpredictable."
If you were planning on taking a trip out to the desert, you know that Joshua Tree National Park is closed to backpacking. And the Mojave National Preserve, which just saw its most destructive fire on record, is closed completely. It's unclear how this major storm is going to affect recovery efforts.
The Summer Sounds concert series in West Hollywood has been rescheduled.
The Interstellar Music Festival in San Pedro is canceled this weekend.
A number of Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains between Los Angeles and San Diego are canceled Saturday night through Monday morning.
Downed tree, power line or flooded road?
Dial 911 if it's an emergency.
However, if you need to report a flooded road or a downed tree, you can call the following non-emergency numbers:
L.A. City: Dial 311 for a flooded road or downed tree. Call (800) DIAL-DWP if you see a downed power line.
As Hurricane Hilary approaches, it's important to have a safety plan in place. Advice from L.A. County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone:
Have an evacuation plan
Create an emergency supply kit
Have a backup battery for any essential medical equipment
Stay out of the ocean and floodwaters, and avoid moving water
Place sandbags around homes and apartments in areas prone to flooding
Never approach downed power lines
Watch out for falling trees and power lines
Boat operators: evaluate the storm forecast and impact on marinas and harbors
A detailed list of emergency kit items can be found at ready.lacounty.gov; there will be real-time emergency updates on the county’s emergency website, found on the county’s landing page: LA county.gov/emergency.
How we're reporting on this
Science and environment reporter Jacob Margolis is tracking the storm and adding updates. Climate emergency reporter Erin Stone is reporting on preparation efforts in Palm Springs. Correspondent Josie Huang, Weekend Edition host Julia Paskin, producer Daniel Martinez and other LAist staff members are reporting on city and county emergency plans.
This is a developing story. We fact check everything and rely only on information from credible sources (think fire, police, government officials and reporters on the ground). Sometimes, however, we make mistakes and/or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available.
Kevin Tidmarsh
is a producer for LAist, covering news and culture. He’s been an audio/web journalist for about a decade.
Published January 1, 2026 6:21 PM
Conditions along the Santa Ana River can become dangerous during heavy rains.
(
Courtesy Orange County Public Works
)
Topline:
An unidentified body was recovered from the bed of the Santa Ana River just before noon on Jan. 1, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.
What we know: Officials said a witness called 911 to report a person in the riverbed near the intersection of Warner Avenue and Harbor Boulevard in Santa Ana. The person traveled about two miles downstream before the search and rescue crew recovered their body in the city of Fountain Valley.
The response: About 60 firefighters from OCFA and the Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa fire departments contributed to the water rescue effort.
The danger of moving water: With more rain in the forecast this weekend, keep in mind that just six inches of fast-moving water can knock down most people, while 12 inches can carry away most cars.
How to stay safe: Emergency officials recommend limiting travel as much as possible during heavy rain and floods, including by car. If you see flooding in your path, remember the slogan, “Turn around, don’t drown.” LAist also has a guide on driving safely in the rain.
Manny Ruiz strikes alongside other workers with Teamsters 2785 at Amazon Warehouse DCK6 in the Bayview District in San Francisco on Dec. 19, 2024. Amazon workers at multiple facilities across the U.S. went on strike to fight for a union contract.
(
Jungho Kim for CalMatters
)
Topline:
Under a law taking effect Jan. 1, California seeks to uphold the labor and unionization rights of private-sector employees, as the federal agency that has held that power for decades is in limbo.
Where things stand: The new law’s future is unclear because the Trump administration is challenging it.
Why now: The law, which grants more powers to the California Public Employment Relations Board, is a response to the National Labor Relations Board lacking a quorum. President Donald Trump fired the NLRB’s chairperson, Gwynne Wilcox, days after he began his second term in January. His two nominees to the board have yet to be confirmed, so the federal board has been without the three members it needs for a quorum for months.
California under a law taking effect today seeks to uphold the labor and unionization rights of private-sector employees, as the federal agency that has held that power for decades is in limbo.
But the new law’s future is unclear because the Trump administration is challenging it.
The law, which grants more powers to the California Public Employment Relations Board, is a response to the National Labor Relations Board lacking a quorum.
President Donald Trump fired the NLRB’s chairperson, Gwynne Wilcox, days after he began his second term in January. His two nominees to the board have yet to be confirmed, so the federal board has been without the three members it needs for a quorum for months.
Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, the Inglewood Democrat who wrote the bill, said when the governor signed it in September that “California will not sit idly as its workers are systematically denied the right to organize due to employer intransigence or federal inaction.”
The NLRB sued California over the law in October, saying in its lawsuit that the state is trying to assert authority over “areas explicitly reserved for federal oversight.”
On the legal challenge to the law, Terry Schanz, McKinnor’s chief of staff, referred CalMatters to the state attorney general. Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office is responsible for defending the law in court. A spokesperson for Bonta said the office would have nothing to say about it.
With the NLRB unable to fulfill its duties, states are trying to fill the gap in enforcing the National Labor Relations Act, which Congress passed in 1935. But labor experts contacted by CalMatters do not have high hopes for the California law, which is similar to a law passed in New York this year. They said courts, including the Supreme Court, have ruled that states cannot decide matters pertaining to federal labor law because of preemption, the doctrine that a higher authority of law overrides a lower authority.
“It’s difficult to imagine a scenario where the courts do not overturn these (state) laws,” said John Logan, professor and chairperson of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University.
William Gould, a former chairperson of the National Labor Relations Board during the Clinton administration and a professor emeritus at Stanford University, agreed: “In the courts the matter is a dead letter unless (the Supreme Court) shifts gears.”
That’s what the California and U.S. chambers of commerce, along with other business groups, are hoping, according to their amicus brief in support of the Trump administration’s lawsuit against California: “Under California’s view, every state could have its own labor law for private-sector workers. Dozens of laws would overlap and collide.”
The California Labor Federation, an umbrella organization for unions that represents about 2 million California workers, said in an amicus brief that even before Trump fired the NLRB chief, the federal agency’s backlog had been a problem, leading to companies being able to delay bargaining in good faith with their employees’ unions without consequences.
If the California law is overturned, employees who have formed unions but have not succeeded in securing contracts with employers such as Amazon and Starbucks — which are among the companies seeking to have the NLRB declared unconstitutional — may continue to face delays, according to Logan. Or, he said, it’s not clear what would happen if other workers tried to organize and their companies simply fired them.
“The NLRB defunctness is a scandal which cries out for political reform,” Gould said.
Keep up with LAist.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
Why now: As the clock struck midnight across time zones, people gathered to celebrate the new year.
Keep reading... for those photos.
As the clock strikes midnight across time zones, people gather to celebrate the new year.
We take a look at the shared joy and traditions in these photos.
Copyright 2026 NPR
Reveler use their smartphones to film the falling balloons and confetti as they celebrate the start of 2026 during the New Year countdown event held at a shopping mall in Beijing, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
(
Andy Wong
/
AP
)
Revellers watch a fireworks and light show for children on Museumplein as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Amsterdam on December 31, 2025.
(
Remko de Waal
/
Getty Images
)
Members of the public gather to celebrate the New Year during the annual bell-tolling ceremony at the Bosingak Pavilion on January 01, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea.
(
Chung Sung-Jun
/
Getty Images
)
Fireworks explode over skyscrapers during New Year celebrations on January 01, 2026 in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines.
(
Ezra Acayan
/
Getty Images
)
People buy batons that read happy New Year 2026 on December 31, 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. Thousands lined the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok as the country welcomed the new year.
(
Lauren DeCicca
/
Getty Images
)
Fireworks explode from the Taipei 101 building during the New Year's celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
(
Chiang Ying-Ying
/
AP
)
Revellers watch the New Year's Eve fireworks from the The Huc Bridge at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi on Jan. 1, 2026.
(
Nhac Nguyen
/
Getty Images
)
People attend the New Year countdown event to celebrate the start of 2026 in the Central district of Hong Kong, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
(
Chan Long Hei
/
AP
)
Fireworks explode around the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, during New Year's Eve celebrations in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
(
Fatima Shbair
/
AP
)
People pose for pictures near illuminated decorations on New Year's Eve in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
(
Rafiq Maqbool
/
AP
)
Revellers watch fireworks during the New Year celebrations in Karachi on January 1, 2026.
(
Rizwan Tabassum
/
Getty Images
)
Iraqis gather in Baghdad's Al-Zawraa Park during New Year's Eve celebrations on December 31, 2025.
(
Ahmad Al-Rubaye
/
AFP/Getty Images
)
Onlookers stand beside light ornaments on New Year's Eve at Bakrkoy Square in Istanbul on Dec. 31, 2025.
(
Yasin Akgul
/
Getty Images
)
People strike a giant bell to celebrate the New Year at the Zojoji Buddhist temple, minutes after midnight Thursday Jan. 1, 2026, in Tokyo.
(
Eugene Hoshiko
/
AP
)
A couple takes a selfie as the last sunset of 2025 is seen over the Mediterranean Sea in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
(
Hassan Ammar
/
AP
)
People watch and take photos as the Ferris wheel displays "Happy New Year" in 16 different languages at Pacific Park on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 in Santa Monica.
Millions of Americans are facing higher health care premiums in the new year after Congress allowed Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire.
Where things stand: Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of senators worked to strike a compromise that could resurrect the enhanced ACA premium tax credits — potentially blunting the blow of rising monthly payments for Obamacare enrollees.
What's next: Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who is part of that effort, says he thinks the Senate can pass a "retroactive" Affordable Care Act subsidy extension, but "we need President Trump."
Millions of Americans are facing higher health care premiums in the new year after Congress allowed Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire. But earlier this week, a bipartisan group of senators worked to strike a compromise that could resurrect the enhanced ACA premium tax credits — potentially blunting the blow of rising monthly payments for Obamacare enrollees.
"There's a number of Republican and Democratic senators who are seeing what a disaster this will be for families that they represent," Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said on Morning Edition Thursday. "That's the common ground here, and it's a doable thing."
Welch said he joined a bipartisan call Tuesday — first reported by Punchbowl News — in which a handful of senators charted out a possible health care compromise.
"We could extend the credits for a couple of years, we could reform it," Welch said of the call. "You could put an income cap, you could have a copay, you could have penalties on insurers who commit fraud. You actually could introduce some cost saving reductions that have bipartisan support."
But according to Welch, this legislation is only doable with President Trump's blessing.
"It would require that President Trump play a major role in this, because he has such influence over the Republican majority in the House and even in the Senate," Welch said.
Last fall, Republicans and Democrats fought bitterly over the Obamacare subsidy extension, causing a political standoff that led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Meanwhile, Trump has remained relatively hands-off, withholding his support for any health care legislation.
Despite these obstacles, Welch said he believes the jump in prices that people across the country now face will break the logjam in Congress.
"A farmer in Vermont, their premium is going to go from $900 a month to $3,200, a month," Welch said. "So they're going to really face sticker shock. There's going to be a secondary impact, because the hospitals, particularly in rural areas, are going to lose revenue."
But even if the Senate advanced a compromise bill on the ACA, the House would also have to get behind it. And the lower chamber has its own bipartisan effort on an ACA subsidy extension.
Just before the recess began in mid-December, four House Republicans joined Democrats in signing a discharge petition on a three-year extension of the ACA subsidies — forcing a floor vote on the bill when the House returns.
Hours after bucking House Speaker Mike Johnson and joining Democrats, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., told Morning Editionback in December that he thinks this vote will get even more Republican support.
"I don't like the clean extension without any income cap," Fitzpatrick said. "But given the choice between a clean three-year extension and letting them expire, that's not a hard choice for me. And I suspect many of my other colleagues are going to view it the same way."
Fitzpatrick and Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., have held meetings with moderate senators on legislative paths to extend the ACA subsidies, a source familiar with the talks but not authorized to speak publicly tells NPR.
The Senate returns on Jan. 5 and the House comes back to Capitol Hill on Jan. 6.
