ST. GEORGE — Hurricane Hilary degraded to a Category 1 Saturday evening as it’s center paralleled the coast of Baja California, but its outer reaches have started to make an impact in Southern Utah
A flash flood warning that went into effect Saturday afternoon after as much as 0.75 inches of rain were reported by the National Weather Service expired but a flash flood watch covering all five Southern Utah counties has been extended to midnight Monday.
The weather service reported a tenth of an inch of rain in the St. George area in the same time period.
At 9 p.m. MDT, a continuous train of rain and moisture from the Southern Utah area to Southern California stretched to the center of Hilary 500 miles south of San Diego. If rain wasn’t falling, the evening air in St. George felt like a tropical jungle with humidity around 78% in an area that normally has 7% humidity.
The National Hurricane Center said as of Saturday evening, the center of Hilary was expected to make landfall as a hurricane south of Ensenada around 2 a.m. MDT. The first tropical storm winds of up to 75 mph are expected in the Los Angeles area around 1 p.m. PDT Sunday.
The current track spares the St. George area of high winds.
Christine Cruse with the National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City office told St. George News earlier Sunday the storm is still on track to potentially challenge records.
“What we’re looking at is 1.5 to 2.5 inches through Monday throughout Southern Utah with higher amounts especially in mountain areas like inside Pine Valley,” Cruse said. “More than likely, there are a few places that will approach the one-day record.”
St. George is looking at the most predicted rain, with heavier precipitation further south of the Utah border in Mesquite, and potentially 4 to 8 inches of rain in parts of Las Vegas, the weather service said.
Locally, it may rain non-stop from tonight to tomorrow night.
“The models see rain from tonight through Sunday, so there could be a decent amount of rain through Sunday night,” Cruse said.
All of Southern Utah’s five counties are on a Flood Watch through Sunday night. That watch is likely to be upgraded to a warning at any time. Cruse said it’s important for everyone in Southern Utah to have access to phones, radios, internet sites or other means to be able to be alerted as soon as there are warnings that alert people that dangerous conditions are imminent or occurring.
“Being really weather-aware through Monday will be important for people in Southern Utah,” Cruse said.
The weather service has also given its highest alert level for flooding in the slot canyons of Zion National Park through Sunday, saying flash flooding will occur in there. As of Saturday morning, canyon hikes like The Narrows remain open to hikers and park officials have said people are responsible for their own risks.
Hilary’s movement northward is expected to quicken as Saturday goes along into Sunday, and it is also expected to weaken. The eye of what will likely be, at that point, Tropical Storm Hilary is tracked to pass near Pahrump, Nevada a little after 8 p.m. Sunday night. Southern California is currently experiencing its first-ever Tropical Storm Warning in history.
Even then, forecasters say the precipitation effects will stretch far from the eye.
The National Hurricane Center even said that tornados are a possibility in Southern Utah and Nevada’s Clark County, though Cruse said that possibility is minimal.
“The probability is very low. Maybe around 1%,” Cruse said. “We don’t want people to freak out about tornados.”
Precautions
Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. The public should monitor the latest forecasts and be prepared to take action.
Turn around. Don’t drown.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and the National Weather Service offer the following safety rules for flash flooding:
- Flash flood waves, moving at incredible speeds, can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings and bridges and scour out new channels. Killing walls of water can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet. You will not always have warning that these deadly, sudden floods are coming. When a flash flood warning is issued for your area or the moment you first realize that a flash flood is imminent, act quickly to save yourself. You may have only seconds.
- Most flood deaths occur in automobiles. Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. Flood waters are usually deeper than they appear. The road bed may not be intact under the water. Just one foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep vehicles off the road. If the vehicle stalls, abandon it immediately and seek higher ground. Rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and its occupants and sweep them away.
- Do not hike rivers and especially slot canyons while flash flood warnings are in place.
- Do not hike alone and always tell someone where you and your buddy and others are going.
- Get out of areas subject to flooding, including dips, low spots, canyons and washes.
- Avoid already flooded and high velocity flow areas. Do not try to cross a flowing stream on foot where water is above your knees.
- Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.
- Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions.
During any flood emergency, stay tuned to official weather reports via radio, television and social media. Cell phone users can also sign up to receive weather alerts as text messages. You can also follow St. George News and Cedar City News for weather alerts and updates relevant to Southern Utah.
For the most current conditions, warnings and advisories, go to the National Weather Service-Salt Lake City office website.
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