Post-tropical cyclone Hilary struck the
region. It was a category 4 hurricane
off the coast of southern Baja
California before moving northward
and weakening as it made landfall in
northern Baja California. Torrential
rainfall occurred across mountain and
desert communities. Roughly 1.5 to 3”
fell in the coastal and valley areas,
around 1.5 to 6.5” fell in the deserts,
and 1.5 to 13” fell in the mountains.
Mission Creek, on the east slopes of
the San Bernardino Mountains,
harvested 13.11”. (Initially, Hilary
was identified as a tropical storm in
California before NOAA/NHC
researchers later determined in
February 2024 that Hilary had lost
tropical storm status just before
crossing into Southern California.)
Interstate 10 was flooded with
water, mud and debris in the
Coachella Valley and Cabazon.
Two rail lines were damaged and
undercut in the Coachella Valley,
which caused a train derailment
north of Palm Springs. Widespread
street and golf course flooding all
over the Coachella Valley. Multiple
road washouts occurred on Route
38 near Barton Flats. Two bridges
washed out near Seven Oaks Dam.
A bridge washed out in Mias
Canyon. Major debris flows closed
highways in Wrightwood, Forest
Falls and Oak Glen. A bridge was
damaged at Windy Point northwest
of Palm Springs. A major debris-
filled flood 250 yards wide flowed
down the Whitewater drainage
from Indian Canyon to Date Palm,
causing serious road damage.
State Route 247 in Helendale was
flooded with mud from the Mojave
River. Water and mud surrounded
an assisted care center in Cathedral
City, where 14 residents were
rescued by a front-end loader.
13 people were rescued from the
swelling San Diego River. Large
boulders on Highway 79 just south
of Julian. In the Anza Borrego
Desert, giant boulders blocked a
stretch of Interstate 8 in In-Ko-Pah
and flooding closed Highway 78 at
Yaqui Pass and San Felipe Wash.
Mud and flooding of road in
Nuevo, street flooding in Riverside,
Murrieta, San Jacinto, Winchester.
Rock and debris blocked roads in
Lake Gregory, Crestline, Angelus
Oaks, Banner Grade.