Tropical Storm Franklin makes landfall with major flood threats to Dominican Republic and Haiti

Tropical Storm Franklin brings torrential rain to Dominican Republic and Haiti on Wednesday

Crews work to clear mud and debris from California roads after Storm Hilary

Tropical Storm Franklin was moving inland from the southern coast of the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, bringing torrential rains to the country and neighboring Haiti.

Tropical Storm Harold, which had formed only hours before Franklin, was downgraded to a depression after making landfall in south Texas on Tuesday. The system has since crossed into northern Mexico where it was threatening the region with heavy rains.

The cyclones, which scientists say are being supercharged by the impacts of the climate crisis, are part of a record-breaking pattern unfolding in the Atlantic.

Aside from Harold and Franklin, two other systems formed in the Atlantic - Emily and Gert - in 39 hours, making it the fastest time on record for four named Atlantic storm formations, according to Philip Klotzbach, a Colorado State University Meteorologist.

This weekend, Tropical Storm Hilary wreaked havoc across Mexico, California and Nevada. Hilary, which caused one death in Mexico, was the first tropical storm to hit California in almost a century and deluged cities including Los Angeles and San Diego, leading to widespread flooding and mudslides.

Key points

• Storm Hilary brings a year’s worth of rain to Death Valley
• Storm Hilary to batter Oregon and Idaho after flooding California
• Texas braces for flooding as Tropical Storm Harold barrels towards state
• Rescuers drive bulldozer through mud to reach senior citizens stuck in California care home

[21 August 2023 16:15 · The Independent]

Live: Tropical Storm Hilary batters US-Mexico border

[21 August 2023 16:30 · Kelly Rissman]

Palm Springs left completely cut off from rest of state by Tropical Storm Hilary flooding: ‘We’re stuck’

Tropical Storm Hilary drenched Palm Springs with over half of a year’s worth of rain in mere hours—and cut off the city’s emergency services.

California officials declared a local state of emergency due to “unprecedented rainfall and flooding of local roadways and at least one swift water rescue.” City officials also urged residents to stay home and to “avoid driving during these dangerous conditions.”

Dozens of cars are trapped in floodwaters across the city as well as in surrounding communities, according to ABC7.

“There’s no way in or out of Palm Springs and that’s the case for the majority of the Coachella valley. We’re all stuck. Our major freeway, I-10, is also closed in both directions. This is a very extreme situation at the moment,” said Palm Springs Mayor Grace Garner on Monday.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said Palm Springs on Sunday said the state had experienced “the most significant rainfall over a 60-minute period any time in the history of Palm Springs.”

[21 August 2023 17:00 · Gustaf Kilander]

VIDEO: California faces Hilary, earthquake

[21 August 2023 17:30 · Kelly Rissman]

‘Most significant rainfall over a 60-minute period any time in the history of Palm Springs’

California Governor Gavin Newsom said Palm Springs on Sunday said the state had experienced “the most significant rainfall over a 60-minute period any time in the history of Palm Springs.”

“That’s how quickly this system is moving. Take nothing for granted,” Mr Newsom told a news briefing in Los Angeles.

The City of Palm Springs issued a warning via X, formerly known as Twitter, saying that 911 lines were down across the city. “Please call (760) 327-1441 for any police or fire related matter. Frontier Communications is working on the problem, but at this time there is no estimated time for repair.” Residents can also text 911, the statement added.

Both Governor Newsom and Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo have declared states of emergency.

[21 August 2023 18:00 · Gustaf Kilander]

VIDEO: Southern California Braces for More Flooding After Being Hit by Tropical Storm Hilary

[21 August 2023 18:30 · AP]

Southern California prepares for more floods as post-Tropical Storm Hilary brings more rain

Tropical Storm Hilary deluged arid parts of Mexico and then drenched Southern California from the coast to the desert resort city of Palm Springs and inland mountains, forcing rescuers to pull several people from swollen rivers. Even as the storm subsides across the coast, flooding and mudslides were expected across the parts of the southwestern U.S.

The storm first made landfall in Mexico’s arid Baja California Peninsula on Sunday in a sparsely populated area about 150 miles (250 kilometers) south of Ensenada. One person drowned. It then moved through mudslide-prone Tijuana, threatening the improvised homes that cling to hillsides just south of the U.S. border.

The first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years, Hilary dropped more than half an average year’s worth of rain on some areas, including Palm Springs, which saw nearly 3.18 inches (8 centimeters) of rain by Sunday evening.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami downgraded Hilary to a post-tropical storm in its early Monday advisory, and warned that “continued life-threatening and locally catastrophic flooding” was expected over portions of the southwestern U.S. on Monday. All coastal warnings were discontinued.

[21 August 2023 19:00 · Gustaf Kilander]

Dramatic video shows storm Hilary flooding Los Angeles Dodgers baseball stadium

Aerial footage over Los Angeles has revealed the devastation wrought by Hurricane Hilary – the first tropical storm to strike Los Angeles since 1939.

Footage taken from a helicopter flying over the city shows the stadium for the LA Dodgers baseball team surrounded by water while the field inside is seemingly still spared from the floodwaters.

The footage was posted by the account dodgeraerial on Instagram and subsequently shared on other platforms.

[21 August 2023 19:30 · Gustaf Kilander]

PHOTOS: Californians deal with aftermath of Hilary

A large eucalyptus tree branch rests on cars after falling overnight as tropical storm Hilary moved through the area on August 21, 2023 in Sun Valley, California (Getty Images)

A road crew works to clear debris from California State Highway 111, a major road leading in and out of Palm Springs, covered with moving water the morning after Tropical Storm Hilary passed Palm Springs, California, U.S., August 21, 2023 (REUTERS)

An aerial image shows debris following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, at Thurderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on August 21, 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

[21 August 2023 20:00 · AP]

‘Thank God my family is OK'

Tropical Storm Hilary drenched Southern California from the coast to the desert resort city of Palm Springs and inland mountains, forcing rescuers to pull several people from swollen rivers.

By early Monday, remnants of the storm that first brought soaking rains to Mexico’s arid Baja California peninsula and the border city of Tijuana, threatened Nevada and as far north as Oregon and Idaho with flooding.

Southern Californians were battling flooded roads, mudslides and downed trees.

“Thank God my family is OK,” Maura Taura said after a three-story-tall tree crashed down on her daughter’s two cars but missed the family’s house in the Sun Valley area of Los Angeles.

[21 August 2023 20:30 · AP]

Southern California hit by earthquake

Hilary is just the latest major weather or climate disaster to wreak havoc across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Hawaii’s island of Maui is still reeling from a blaze that killed more than 100 people and ravaged the historic town of Lahaina, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. Firefighters in Canada are battling that nation’s worst fire season on record.

Southern California got another surprise Sunday afternoon as an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 hit near Ojai, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was felt widely and was followed by smaller aftershocks. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury, according to a dispatcher with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

Tropical Storm Hilary first made landfall in Baja California on Sunday in a sparsely populated area about 150 miles (250 kilometers) south of Ensenada. One person drowned. It then moved through mudslide-prone Tijuana, threatening the improvised homes that cling to hillsides just south of the U.S. border.