Hurricane Simon and Post-Tropical Storm Rachel threatened on Sunday to bring torrential rain, dangerous coastal flooding and destructive surf to parts of western Mexico and the Southwestern United States in close succession.
Rachel moved inland across northern Baja California late Saturday night local time, the National Hurricane Center said. Although the storm had weakened, its remnants were expected to continue producing heavy rain and gusty winds across parts of northern Baja California and the Southwest, with the potential for significant flash flooding.
Several Southern California cities restricted access to parts of the shoreline and warned residents to stay away from the shore.
Rachel was closely followed by Hurricane Simon, which forecasters at the National Hurricane Center described as an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm late Saturday. Early on Sunday, Simon was moving toward the coast of west-central Mexico and was expected to move near or over the coast later in the day. Forecasters said it remained uncertain whether Simon would make landfall, with even a small shift in its track potentially affecting how quickly it weakened.
Key Things to Know
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Post-Tropical Storm Rachel moved inland across northern Baja California late Saturday. The storm brought widespread showers and cooler conditions to the region, but it also poses a moderate risk of flash flooding from San Diego to Las Vegas. The Hurricane Center said that south-facing beaches would be vulnerable on Sunday morning to coastal flooding from expected high tides of around eight feet.
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Hurricane Simon has rapidly intensified off the west coast of Mexico, threatening the shoreline with dangerous winds, storm surge and heavy rainfall. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said early Sunday that Simon was expected to move near or over the coast of west-central Mexico later in the day, although its exact track remained uncertain.
Post-Tropical Storm Rachel
The remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel brought flooding, debris flows and strong winds to parts of Southern California late Saturday, as the system moved inland across northern Baja California. The National Weather Service had issued a tropical storm watch for San Diego County, only the second time the county has received such a watch, following Hurricane Hilary in 2023. The watch was called off early Sunday.
Further downpours were expected into Sunday morning as the system tracked northeast across the Southwest. The system’s broad cloud cover was also expected to bring some relief from the recent brutal heat wave across parts of Southern California, dropping temperatures into the high 40s or low 50s Fahrenheit.
Rainfall rates could reach up to an inch an hour in some areas, according to the San Diego office of the National Weather Service. Totals were expected to range from around half an inch to 1.25 inches across coastal areas, valleys and deserts, and up to 2.5 inches in the mountains, raising the risk of flash flooding. The National Hurricane Center said the wider rainfall threat extended into the Great Basin and other parts of the Southwest, where totals could reach five inches in isolated areas.
Strong winds were also expected over the mountains, passes and desert slopes, where gusts could reach up to 80 miles an hour.
Coastal flooding and beach erosion were also possible, with high surf, strong rip currents and elevated tides adding to the risk. Surf was expected to reach five to eight feet, with some sets reaching nine feet. Forecasters said morning high tides of up to 7.5 feet could worsen coastal flooding. A coastal flood warning for areas of Orange and San Diego Counties was in effect until 3 p.m. local time Sunday, followed by an advisory for continued minor coastal flooding through Tuesday afternoon.
Farther inland, the Las Vegas office of the National Weather Service forecast showers and thunderstorms as Rachel’s remnants tracked northeast along the Colorado River Valley toward southwestern Utah.
Heavy rain, flash flooding and strong winds were the main threats. Even as Rachel’s remnants move away, its lingering moisture was expected to fuel further showers and thunderstorms into early this week the office said.
Early Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for parts of Clark County after between one and 1.5 inches of rain had fallen within an hour, with more rainfall expected. The warning that was in effect until 8:30 a.m. local time included Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Summerlin and Spring Valley.
Wind gusts of 40 to 55 m.p.h. were possible across parts of the Mojave Desert, while gusts exceeding 60 m.p.h. were possible in the Colorado River Valley and parts of southern Nevada and western Arizona.
The National Hurricane Center said Rachel was expected to weaken further and dissipate later on Sunday.
Hurricane Simon
Simon reached hurricane strength on Thursday before quickly intensifying into a Category 4 storm late Friday. It had been moving roughly parallel to Mexico’s western coast and was about 60 miles west of the city of Manzanillo early Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The center said Simon was expected to move very close to the coast later Sunday, but it remained uncertain whether the storm’s core would move fully inland or stay just offshore.
Its proximity to the coast was expected to bring dangerous conditions, including destructive winds, storm surge and torrential rain.
“Regardless of whether the full core moves inland, it’s close enough to create very hazardous conditions in the hurricane warning area,” said Eric Blake, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center.
A hurricane warning was in effect for parts of west-central Mexico, including the stretch of coast from Punta San Telmo to El Roblito and Las Islas Marias.
The hurricane was forecast to bring 10 to 20 inches of rain to parts of southwestern Mexico through Monday, with isolated totals of up to 30 inches possible across portions of Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco. The rain could lead to life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially for mountainous areas, forecasters said.
A dangerous storm surge was also expected along the immediate coast near where Simon’s center made landfall or approached the coast, as well as large destructive waves. Swells generated by the hurricane could also bring dangerous surf and rip currents to parts of the coast over the coming days.
Although some weakening was possible, the National Hurricane Center said Simon was expected to remain a major hurricane as it moved very close to the coast. If the storm’s core moved fully over land, it was expected to weaken rapidly.
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