Update: August 21, 2023 at 8:25 a.m. ET
As the remnants of post-tropical
cyclone Hilary continue to dump heavy rain on Southern California, Nevada
and the Southwestern United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) said areas in the path of the storm could experience catastrophic and life-threatening flooding.
Flash flood warnings have been issued by the National
Weather Service for the ongoing heavy rain in Southern California and Nevada,
with flooding and debris flows reported in several areas and wind gusts up to
84 mph and more than three inches of rain in spots.
FlightAware.com
reported 284 flight cancellations and 545 delays within, into or out of the
U.S. as of 8:30 a.m. ET on Monday. The flight-tracking website showed that 1,058
flights were canceled on Sunday, with another 5,516 delayed.
Travelers with flights scheduled on Monday to or from
airports in Southern California and other impacted areas will be eligible for
travel waivers from several major airlines, which allows them to switch their
flights to avoid issues related to the storm.
Original Text
In a part of the country that is prone to earthquakes, wildfires, and even the occasional flooding, Southern California is bracing for a natural disaster that has not happened in nearly eight decades - a hurricane.
As of early Sunday morning, Hurricane Hilary has caused the expected travel woes, although it has lessened in intensity.
Nearly all flights into and out of Palm Springs, California, have been delayed or canceled and Southwest Airlines took the extra precaution of canceling all flights through Monday morning. NBC reported that nearly 26 million people are on alert for the storm from Southern California into Mexico on the west coast.
Palm Springs Airport is serviced by nearly every major carrier, including American, Air Canada, Delta, United, JetBlue, and more. That includes regional airlines such as Contour Airlines. Allegiant Airlines is a popular option for people looking to fly to its home base in Las Vegas. But Southwest Airlines is the dominant carrier out of Palm Springs.
Ships, from charters to cruise lines, have been canceled and Catalina Island off the coast of California has been evacuated.
Several national parks in the West, including notoriously hot Death Valley, have been closed. While the heat isn’t necessarily the issue in Death Valley, there could be mudslides and flooding. A state of emergency has been declared in the Golden State.
Even though the hurricane has decreased in intensity to a Category 1, several historic alerts have been issued in the state of California. The reason for the alert is that forecasters still expect the worst of the storm to come in the next 48 hours, with flooding.
Travel by land and via car is out of the question.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said more than 42 million people are at risk. And even if the weather clears enough to fly, there is still the question of, how many people can get to the airport? And how many flights can get out of Palm Springs.
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