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Many people are curious about the last time Southern California experienced a hurricane or tropical storm.
This week, Hurricane Hilary has brought California into the tropical context.
Los Angeles will not be affected, but San Diego and Reno in Nevada may.
The system will become a tropical depression as it approaches California. In Southern California and Southwest, heavy rain is expected.
Hilary’s impact on Baja California Peninsula, the Southwest United States and other parts of Mexico could be significant this weekend or early next week.
The National Hurricane Center’s (NHC’s) advisory on Thursday warned that “the storm will be post-tropical once it is post-tropical.”
On September 24, 1997, Hurricane Nora devastated California and Arizona with heavy rains and agricultural damage that cost hundreds of millions.
The hurricane was a Category 4 with 130 mph winds off the west coast of Mexico. It maintained its tropical-storm status as it crossed California and Arizona’s border.
This was the final tropical storm that entered California or Arizona. Long Beach, in 1939, and Katrina, in 1967 were past storms.
Nora, as it moved northward from Mexico’s Baja California to the U.S.A., maintained its tropical storm status, but hadn’t made landfall.
Yuma in Arizona recorded wind gusts up to 54 mph. Harquahala Mountains, Arizona had the most rainfall with 11.97″.
Mexico recorded two traffic deaths due to weather, while Southern California had four.
Los Angeles Metro area was hit by flash flooding, which knocked out the power for 125,000 consumers.
Nora’s damage to crops is estimated at $200 million. Lemon trees alone lost $40 million.
California gets directly affected by tropical storms or hurricanes about once every 100 years.
The last time a tropical storm made landfall on California was in San Pedro (Sept. 25, 1939). It lost its hurricane-like strength before it hit Los Angeles.
In 1939, a tropical storm (or stronger) of tropical-storm strength or greater made landfall on California’s coast during the El Nio phase.
Los Angeles received 5.66 inches between September 24-26. Of that, 5.24 inches fell in 24 hours.
Wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour caused extensive damage in Southern California. 45 people died on land, and another 48 were killed on vessels.
Damages caused by the storm totaled $2 million, and would reach $42 million dollars in 2022.
Southern California experienced a heatwave the day before it was hit by Hurricane Irene. Los Angeles hit 107°F on September 20th and 100°F the day prior.
The government opened its first Los Angeles Weather Bureau after the storm in February 1940.
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