- Currently on Earth
- Posts
- Currently — August 21, 2023: TS Hilary flooding + #Hurriquake hits LA
Currently — August 21, 2023: TS Hilary flooding + #Hurriquake hits LA
A M5.1 earthquake hit the LA metro right as TS Hilary made landfall Sunday
Eric Holthaus
August 21, 2023
The weather, currently.
Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall in Los Angeles County on Sunday night, causing record rainfall, damaging flash flooding, and countless landslides.
And to top it all off, a M5.1 earthquake struck in Ventura County right in the middle of the storm. Thankfully, the earthquake seemed to cause little or no damage.
‘Hurriquake’ is a new one for us, too.
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster)
Aug 20, 2023
Hilary was the first tropical storm to make landfall on the US West Coast since modern recordkeeping began in 1949.
At the time this newsletter was sent on Sunday evening, flooding across Southern California still seemed to be ramping up. Authorities were conducting high-water rescues, and the National Weather Service was begging people to stay home as rainfall rates escalated in the evening hours
LA River at Fletcher and Crystal St. #HurricaneHilary
— Los Angeles Public Press (@LAPublicPress)
Aug 20, 2023
Hilary is a large storm, with clouds and associated rainfall stretching all the way from the US-Mexico border to the US-Canada border.
Flooding is likely to be widespread across southern California and southern Nevada on Monday, after which we’ll be able to get a fuller assessment of this historic storm.
