Tropical Storm Rachel fuels major West Coast flood threat with months of rain possible in hours
The impacts to Southern California and the Southwest will be significant, with the FOX Forecast Center warning that months of rainfall could fall in just a few hours through the weekend.
Rachel bringing rare tropical threat to Southwestern US this weekend
While Isaias dominates headlines in the East, Tropical Storm Rachel is set to make a rare landfall just south of the US this weekend, A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for San Diego, for the second time in history.
The Southwest is expecting rare impacts from Tropical Storm Rachel, which is forecast to make landfall in Mexico just south of the U.S. late Saturday night.
The impacts on Southern California and the Southwest will be significant, with the FOX Forecast Center warning that months of rainfall could fall in just a few hours through the weekend.
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Tropical Storm Rachel will approach northern Baja California during the day Saturday, and move onshore late Saturday night.
As landfall nears Mexico, heavy rain from Rachel's post-tropical remnants will quickly spread across southern California and up into southern Nevada, including Las Vegas, on Sunday.
The area of greatest concern for flooding is from Riverside County in southeast California into northwest Arizona, southern Nevada and then into the slot canyon regions of southwest Utah, the FOX Forecast Center said.
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A Level 3 out of 4 flash flood threat is in effect for these areas on Sunday.
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Photos from across Southern California showed the flooding from Rachel on Friday. Water pooled across roads and beaches, and rough surf slammed into beachfront homes.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, more than two months of rain could fall in these desert locations, with rain totals potentially reaching up to 2 inches in lower elevations and as much as 5 inches falling at higher elevations.
San Diego is forecast to see up to an inch of rain.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the city for the second time in its history. The last time was during Hurricane Hilary in Aug. 2023, the FOX Forecast Center said.
Las Vegas and Salt Lake City could see up to 2 inches of rain with the system as it moves inland.
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In addition to the rain and flooding concerns, wind will be a concern in Southern California, western Arizona and southern Nevada.
Flooding started on Friday, as winds from Rachel pushed waters onto the coast in Newport Beach.
Flooding from Tropical Storm Rachel swamps Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, California, began seeing coastal flooding from Tropical Storm Rachel on Friday. Video shows people trudging through flooded streets in the city.
Wind gusts upwards of 40 mph are possible in San Diego and nearby areas, while in the mountains and desert, gusts could reach 60 mph.
Wind Advisories and High Wind Watches are issued across California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah through Monday.
It isn't just rain, wind and flooding…
If all the rain and flooding wasn't enough, the FOX Forecast Center said moisture from this system will reach as far north as Montana, helping fuel a fall snowstorm across the state and northern Wyoming.
Between 6 inches and a foot of snow is forecast in the higher elevations during what will be the first significant snowstorm across the Lower 48 this fall.
Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are in place across western Montana through Monday morning.
FOX Weather will continue to bring you the latest forecast and impacts as Rachel makes landfall, and the storm's remnants move into the Southwest.