Update:The Sunday Larchmont Farmers Market is canceled today due to the weather. The LA Zoo, The La Brea Tar Pits and the Griffith Observatory are also closed today.Â
Los Angeles is preparing for Hurricane Hilary, expected to make landfall here on Sunday. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say the storm is moving quickly close to the west-central coast of the Baja California Peninsula tonight and Sunday morning, and then moving across southern California Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. The maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph (185 km/h) with higher gusts. Hilary is now a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Forecasters expect the storm will continue to weaken and that it will likely be a tropical storm before it reaches southern California sometime Sunday afternoon. The main threats to Los Angeles are strong winds and flooding from heavy rains. The Beaufort Wind Scale, shared with us by a seasoned hurricane watcher, estimates the amount of damage strong winds can cause, which can be helpful in making preparations around your home or business.
Most Los Angelenos are not used to preparing for hurricanes, so officials are urging residents to take this storm seriously and make preparations while the sun is still shining. Now is a good time to secure furniture or other items in your yard that might get picked up in strong winds or be damaged.
City Council District 13 Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez shared the following information and resources today in his weekly letter to the community:
• Updates from LA’s Emergency Management Department
• Safety tips from the National Hurricane Center
• Register for NotifyLA for emergency alerts
• Report power outages to LADWP here
• Call 9-1-1 to report any life-threatening emergencies
• Report fallen trees and non-emergency storm impacts at lacity.gov/myla311, the 311 app, or by dialing 3-1-1
• Find sandbags to divert water if your home is at risk of flooding. Click here for a map of locations offering sandbags.
County officials are advising residents to be prepared for a two-day event. Residents should have enough supplies to be able to stay home for two days, including medications, drinking water, and batteries. Residents are urged to stay home and avoid driving during the storm.
The Hancock Park Homeowners Association advises during the story to take the following actions:
- Avoid driving if at all possible. Dangerous road conditions are anticipated throughout the region
- Bring pets inside during the storm to keep them safe from falling debris
- Call 911 for life-threatening situations, such as people trapped by flooding or damaged trees, and debris flows threatening buildings
- If you see flooding, fallen trees, or other significant damage that isn’t immediately life threatening, report it via 311, which will be operating with extended hours during the storm. Call 3-1-1 or visit https://lacity.gov/myla311
- Assume all downed power lines are electrified and dangerous. Report power issues to the Department of Water and Power by calling 1-800-342-5397
- Do not operate generators indoors or in garages. Generator operating tips can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/use-generators-safely-home
- Monitor www.emergency.lacity.gov/updates for information on the latest storm updates and City response
Storm and weather prediction are always subject to change. We are seeing lots of notices of cancellations and closures too. We will be checking the forecasts often and updating our stories as best we can. Stay safe!
