Post-Tropical Storm Rachel Brings Heavy Rain but Avoids Major Flooding in Southern California
Rainfall from the remnants of Storm Rachel produced localized flooding and strong surf along the Southern California coast, but water levels remained below the worst-case forecasts.
Post-tropical Storm Rachel moved inland after making landfall in northern Baja California, generating surf and rip-current hazards along the Southern California shoreline. The National Hurricane Center said the system was expected to dissipate as it progressed inland, though moderate to major coastal flooding was still forecast for parts of Baja and Southern California.
In Los Angeles and Orange counties, earlier tides had damaged structures and prompted mandatory evacuations on the Long Beach peninsula, where officials deployed up to 100,000 cubic yards of sand to protect homes. Newport Beach declared a local emergency after high tides flooded several blocks of the Balboa Peninsula, closing the Balboa and Newport piers.
High tide arrived around 9:50 a.m. on Sunday, with the Los Angeles County National Weather Service projecting peaks near 8 feet, close to regional records. A berm constructed by the city largely shielded residential areas, and water levels at 10 a.m. were about five inches below the projected record-high tides. Residents on the peninsula described the conditions as routine, noting that large waves and occasional flooding are common in the area.
Rainfall from the storm was significant in inland locations. Blythe, California, recorded 2.8 inches, the wettest event there since 1965. Flash-flood warnings were issued from Orange County to Death Valley and Las Vegas, where 1.08 inches fell, tying an October daily record. Highway 95 at the California-Nevada border was closed, and five flood rescues were reported in Kingman, Arizona. Palomar Mountain received over 5 inches, while the San Bernardino Mountains saw 2-3 inches.
Coastal rain totals were lower but notable for October, with San Diego reporting 0.9 inch, Oceanside 1.4 inches, and Palm Springs 1.2 inches. The Weather Service warned of a marginal to slight risk of flash flooding across Southern California on Sunday and a moderate risk in Las Vegas, with additional heavy rain expected Monday along the coast.
Wind impacts were limited along the coast, with San Diego’s strongest gust at 36 mph. Desert regions experienced stronger winds and isolated severe thunderstorms, and a low but non-zero tornado risk persisted from Las Vegas to Phoenix through early afternoon.