# Hurricane Hilary on path toward Southern California **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 17, 2023, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725 "2023-08-17T14:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/61 "2023-08-20T14:30:00Z")
It’s still a Category 1 hurricane as of 7:30am. Looks like we’ll get the brunt of it here starting around 4pm. I am _just_ outside the Evac Order for the foothills. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/62 "2023-08-20T14:55:34Z")
At 8am Pacific time the center is 150 miles south of the US /Mexico border. The highest not-quite-hurricane winds only extend some 70ish miles from the center. So still 70-80 miles S of the US border. The “It’s a blustery day” winds are just now brushing the border and moving north at a paltry25mph. It takes a long time to drive from e.g. Imperial Beach to Santa Monica or Santa Barbara at 25mph. The media loves to focus on peak winds. But a “typical” hurricane is a rain and storm surge machine 300+ miles in diameter with a seriously destructively windy core that’s maybe 25-50 miles in diameter. It sucks to have the windy core visit your house. But that sweeps over a small percentage of the total area swept by the crazy rain or coastal surge. And then all that water has to flow someplace, which may be to places that weren’t even hit by the storm hardly at all. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/63 "2023-08-20T15:45:31Z")
My Hilary playlist: “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” - CCR “Riders On the Storm” - Doors “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” - Bob Dylan “Like A Hurricane” - Neil Young “Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain” - Cascades “Rain” - Beatles “Purple Rain” - Prince “The Rain Song” - Led Zeppelin “Here Comes the Rain Again” - Eurhythmics “Umbrella” - Rihanna “Dreams” - Fleetwood Mac If it’s going to storm, at least I have tunes. But right now the rain seems to have stopped for a bit. Not even any runoff flowing in the gutters. That will change soon. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > It takes a long time to drive from e.g. Imperial Beach to Santa Monica or Santa Barbara at 25mph. By car, sure. As the crow flies, it takes about 4.5 hours. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/64 "2023-08-20T15:52:56Z")
If we can get that stupid high to shift a little to the east, Albuquerque would love to take some of that rain off your hands. As it is, we’re just getting high winds with no moisture. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/65 "2023-08-20T16:03:36Z")
Should add [Five Feet High and Rising](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK7P4Sgomtw) (Johnny Cash) to that list. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/66 "2023-08-20T16:06:22Z")
I also forgot “Waist Deep in Big Muddy” - Pete Seeger. But I was trying to keep it to 10. 😉 eta: I’d totally forgotten that Cash tune. _Very_ appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/67 "2023-08-20T16:28:36Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/k9Fn8VhkK5g/hqdefault.jpg "Randy Newman - I Think It's Going To Rain Today") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9Fn8VhkK5g) ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/68 "2023-08-20T16:33:07Z")
I Love a Rainy Night: [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com) /watch?v=fFeEGYLkupE It’s Raining Again: [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com) /watch?v=YZUE4\_PtOk0 (I have to break the links to get them to post) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/69 "2023-08-20T16:40:14Z")
For convenience, following the instructions available in Site Feedback: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fFeEGYLkupE/maxresdefault.jpg "I Love A Rainy Night") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFeEGYLkupE) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YZUE4_PtOk0/maxresdefault.jpg "Supertramp - It's Raining Again") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZUE4_PtOk0) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/70 "2023-08-20T16:46:15Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AsiTtAYm5xs/maxresdefault.jpg "It's Raining") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsiTtAYm5xs) ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/71 "2023-08-20T17:11:56Z")
Love, Reign O’er Me – The Who It’s Raining – Irma Thomas Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again – The Fortunes And of course, [Singin’ in the Rain!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w40ushYAaYA) I love the cop at the end – he thinks he’s looking at a drunk-and-disorderly. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/72 "2023-08-20T17:18:35Z")
No love for Tanya Tucker’s “[Lizzie and the Rain Man?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIlEFK0KZ6s)” It’s at least based on a story from San Diego ([When San Diego Hired a Rainmaker a Century Ago, It Poured - JSTOR Daily](https://daily.jstor.org/charles-hatfield-rainmaker/)) — or so I always heard. Wikipedia on the song doesn’t say so, but the wiki article on the rainmaker himself, [Charles Hatfield - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hatfield), does say that the guy inspired the film, which inspired the song. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/73 "2023-08-20T17:20:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > They arent. But once in a while we get a Hurricane that goes down to a Tropical Storm. This juuust might still be the lowest level Hurricane when it hits. 1939 I think? How about Hurricane/Tropical Storm Kathleen in 1976? Ocotillo (very small town in SD desert) was nearly destroyed by the floods. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/74 "2023-08-20T17:21:01Z")
Funny, but… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JvNptqwFqlA/maxresdefault.jpg "Here's That Rainy Day") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvNptqwFqlA) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/75 "2023-08-20T18:11:30Z")
[Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFF2PEGVaAI) by Strawberry Alarm Clock. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/76 "2023-08-20T19:47:19Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > For convenience, following the instructions available in Site Feedback: Thanks. I knew there was a thread about this somewhere, but I didn’t have time to go find it. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/77 "2023-08-20T20:58:50Z")
Cannot believe you folks missed this. [Albert Hammond - It Never Rains In Southern California (1973) HD 0815007 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmq4WIjQxp0) A bit of a genre shift [Morphine - You Look Like Rain - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkSzV6jAkhQ) Patricia Barber [Let It Rain - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCn5GUg72UI) [Carpenters - Rainy Days And Mondays - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjFoQxjgbrs) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/78 "2023-08-20T21:42:47Z")
And…We just had an earthquake! Details to follow… Initial reports are a magnitude 5.5 near Ojai. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/79 "2023-08-20T21:55:50Z")
Also see … > [@Earthquake near Ojai, California - 2023-08-20 21:41:01 (UTC). In other news, I now know there's a shake app on my phone](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earthquake-near-ojai-california-2023-08-20-2101-utc-in-other-news-i-now-know-theres-a-shake-app-on-my-phone/988845): > > My phone made a new noise. I looked at Notifications and saw something like, “5.0 earthquake Ventura you may feel some shaking” … and the room swayed a bit before I finished reading. Cool! [https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ci39645386/executive](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ci39645386/executive) From the USGS page : M[agnitude] 5.0 km SE of Ojai, CA. That’s roughly 140 miles / 225 kilometers from me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/80 "2023-08-20T21:57:00Z")
Watching L.A. Flights on You Tube and LAX airport is still open, but seems to be operating at a slower pace and it is quite…damp there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725.md?page=5)