Flood warning issued, Long Beach orders evacuations as Tropical Storm Rachel nears: Where is it expected to make landfall?

The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood warning as Tropical Storm Rachel approaches. The warning has been issued for beaches in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. It will remain in effect until 3 pm on Sunday, October 11. People in the region began to feel rainfall and wind on Saturday.

Storm warnings have also been issued up from San Jose de Las Palomas in Baja California to the US-Mexico border. Tropical storm watches were issued for parts of the southern California coast from the border.

A level 3 of 4 moderate risk of flash flooding can be expected in parts of Southern California, including San Diego and Indio. Crews are working to strengthen sand barriers ahead of the high tide. Officials said the conditions were getting worse. Scattered showers are expected to peak on Sunday with much of the Southland to be impacted.


A moderate risk of flood is also up for parts of southern California, northwest Arizona, southern Nevada and southwest Utah. These areas include Las Vegas, San Bernardino, the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument and St. George.

People can expect a major temperature drop from the recent heatwave. The temperature is expected to average in the mid-60s to low-70s by Monday. Wind speeds of 20-40 mph are expected throughout the weekend, especially near the coast.

According to ABC News, 1 to 3 inches of rain is predicted across parts of the interior Southwest over the weekend. The highest totals will be seen in mountainous areas.

Long Beach orders evacuation, Newport Beach closes all beaches

Coastal communities are preparing for more flooding as the storm nears. Newport Beach has closed all its beaches and piers, according to the NY Post. Officials said the closures will last until further notice. They further warned that, “flooding and hazardous conditions pose serious safety risks”.

After floodwaters overtook homes and businesses on Balboa Island, a local emergency was declared on Friday. “We are planning for the worst,” Newport Beach City Manager Seimone Jurjis said on Friday. While Mayur Lauren Kleiman added, “We’ve worked all summer to prepare for this”.

High tides also caused damage in Long Beach. According to CBS LA pieces of boardwalk have shattered windows in homes along the coast. Authorities tagged at least eight homes as red. A mandatory evacuation order has been issued for homes on Seaside Walk.

The evacuation order will remain in effect from 7 pm on October 9 and continue through noon on Tuesday, October 13, the Long Beach city administration said. “The return date is subject to change based on evolving conditions. City personnel are going door-to-door in the impacted area to provide further instructions,” authorities said.

Also read: Hurricane Isaias makes landfall: Florida, Alabama, and Georgia face up to 8 inches of rain as 600,000 left without power

When and where will Tropical Storm Rachel make landfall?

The tropical storm is expected to make landfall along the coast of Northern Baja California on Sunday, October 11, according to the National Weather Service. The landfall is expected to be near the California-Mexico border in the early hours of Sunday.