# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/81 "2023-08-20T22:04:42Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Could be an interesting next few days. Make sure I park the cars on the high spots of my yard. Lakes form pretty quick. Be sure to guard the crew! Most doxies are poor swimmers. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/82 "2023-08-20T22:12:38Z")
I’m near LAX, and we’ve had a good solid six hours of rain. None too heavy. Yet. I have heard the traffic into LAX is seriously backed up. ---
**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, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/83 "2023-08-20T22:39:58Z")
Flash flood warnings out around the Banning Pass. Scared the snot out of the kitten, who was, until then, sleeping quietly on my chest. Now where did I hide the Bactine? ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/84 "2023-08-20T22:50:02Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Cannot believe you folks missed this. Post #35. ---
**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, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/85 "2023-08-20T23:24:45Z")
That was before we started a play list, doesn’t count. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2023, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/86 "2023-08-21T02:12:06Z")
I’ve been watching TV coverage on stations in San Diego and Los Angeles. The LA stations carried a long, dull news conference at which every government official in Los Angeles felt compelled to make a speech. One of the longest was from the Superintendent of Schools. A decision was made to close public schools tomorrow, due to the expected overnight weather conditions. He kept apologizing and saying over and over again that he would be criticized for this decision, but that it was the right thing to do because of the uncertainty of road conditions, downed power lines, possible damage to schools, et cetera. I kept asking myself why this common-sense decision would come under attack, by anyone. “We’ve decided to call an off day in the interest of keeping our students and personnel safe following a tropical storm, thank you and goodbye.” I live in an area where we have “snow days” all the time, and schools would certainly close if we had a tropical storm hit overnight, no questions asked. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2023, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/87 "2023-08-21T03:58:16Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Be sure to guard the crew! Most doxies are poor swimmers. Crew be Safe! My place is a hit and miss lake, but not much deeper than Doxie leg deep. By the way, 4 kills in 2 days. These guys… ---
**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 21, 2023, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/88 "2023-08-21T03:58:49Z")
FWIW, the storm seems to have taken a sharp left at the San Bernadino mtn and over LA. Perhaps it will settle there for awhile or slide up the coast towards me instead of heading east of the Sierra Nevada mts towards Las Vegas as predicted. I have been wondering what effect mountains have on storms like this both their directions and effects. I’m used to seeing them over the Caribbean, Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, but here we have ranges of 5, 8, 10 thousand feet. We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2023, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/89 "2023-08-21T04:08:20Z")
I’m in the bay area. Does this mean that we have to worry about the storm here? I’ve been relaxing a bit, thinking that the storm would pass well to the east of me by a couple of mointain ranges. I’ve been through hurricanes on the east coast in North Carolina and New Jersey. It can be exiting, but I’d rather not do it again. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2023, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/90 "2023-08-21T04:14:32Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > I’m in the bay area. Does this mean that we have to worry about the storm here? Based on what I’m seeing in the NWS forecast for San Francisco, not much: a chance of showers tonight and tomorrow, and some winds gusting up to around 24 mph. The storm’s eye will be over land from here on out, and that serves to rapidly weaken a tropical storm. ---
**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 21, 2023, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/91 "2023-08-21T05:43:10Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > I’m in the bay area. Does this mean that we have to worry about the storm here? > > I’ve been relaxing a bit, thinking that the storm would pass well to the east of me by a couple of mointain ranges. Dunno, I’ve been following this map, maybe it’ll be a big change, maybe not. [MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/maps/hurricane/in-Borrego-Springs,CA?loc=eyJsIjoiQm9ycmVnbyBTcHJpbmdzIiwiciI6IkNBIiwiYyI6IlVuaXRlZCBTdGF0ZXMiLCJpIjoiVVMiLCJnIjoiZW4tdXMiLCJ4IjoiLTExNi4zNzQ4MjY0MzEyNzQiLCJ5IjoiMzMuMjUyOTU0MTA0NDkyMiJ9&weadegreetype=F&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=ccfddaf818df4cfade564dec70669ecd&zoom=6&hurricane=2023-hilary&ocid=winp1taskbar) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2023, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/92 "2023-08-21T06:00:45Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > I’ve been relaxing a bit, thinking that the storm would pass well to the east of me by a couple of mointain ranges. I’ve been pouting a bit, upset we’re not getting a good soaking. We balance out, maybe some sprinkles 😀. ---
**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 21, 2023, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/93 "2023-08-21T06:20:24Z")
…and now they’re showing it headed back up 395. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2023, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/94 "2023-08-21T07:31:52Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > I kept asking myself why this common-sense decision would come under attack, by anyone. “We’ve decided to call an off day in the interest of keeping our students and personnel safe following a tropical storm, thank you and goodbye.” A significant number of parents will be inconvenienced by the loss of the state-sponsored daycare. A small number will be in an extreme bind; they can’t afford to miss work and won’t be able to make any arrangements for their kids. Here’s one for the rain playlist: [Rain by Steve Conte](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GB3_O9-iEw), from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. ---
**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 21, 2023, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/95 "2023-08-21T08:50:40Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RrNPTzE8-p0/hqdefault.jpg "Collie Ryan - It's Gonna Rain - Computer Chess Soundtrack") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrNPTzE8-p0) ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2023, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/96 "2023-08-21T09:35:00Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > I’ve been relaxing a bit, thinking that the storm would pass well to the east of me by a couple of mointain ranges. And I see that it did. It looks like LA got soaked though. ---
**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 21, 2023, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/97 "2023-08-21T12:35:01Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > I have been wondering what effect mountains have on storms like this both their directions and effects. I’m used to seeing them over the Caribbean, Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, but here we have ranges of 5, 8, 10 thousand feet. We’ll see. The Caribbean islands come in two kinds: pancake flat coral outcrops and volcanically mountainous. Cuba gets up to 6500 feet and has lots of terrain above 5000’. The Dominican Republic has mountains above 10,000’ and extensive terrain above 8000’. Haiti, which shares the same island, gets up to almost 9000’ with extensive areas above 7000’. Jamaica tops out at 7500’. Puerto Rico tops out at about 4500’. Etc. So at least some of the Caribbean is not really all that different from the SoCal coastal ranges. The mountains don’t do much to deflect the course of a storm. but they are effective wringers to squeeze even more rain out of them. Which can weaken smaller storms a lot but has rather little effect on large ones. As well, if the eye passes over especially rugged and/or tall terrain the central updraft that drives the whole storm can be disrupted enough to slow the windspeeds a bunch after a few hours delay. For a storm passing over an island, that means a stumble in intensity until the eye is back over water and it can re-strengthen. For a storm over the mainland, there’s no recovery from the stumble and the storm gets permanently weakened. ---
**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 21, 2023, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/98 "2023-08-21T14:15:41Z")
Made it through, but it was intense there for a while. Oak Glen and Palm Springs are still cut off this morning, but ought to be connected before too long. They canceled school for us as well. Nobody argued about it, either. We could all see the storm track going right over us. But the sun just broke through the remaining clouds and I can see the sprinklers across the street kick on. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2023, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/99 "2023-08-21T14:17:09Z")
Good news. So you’re high and dry and still have power. That is excellent. ---
**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 21, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725/100 "2023-08-21T15:24:09Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > So you’re high The only way to ride out a storm. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-hilary-on-path-toward-southern-california/988725.md?page=6)