Be Prepared for Hurricane Hilary

Posted August 19, 2023

The following message is from the offices of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass:

After the National Hurricane Center issued its first ever tropical storm watch for Southern California today, Mayor Karen Bass announced preparedness measures the City is taking for heavy rain and winds, and urged Angelenos to stay vigilant and utilize city resources. Watch the press conference hosted earlier today here.

Hurricane Hilary is currently off the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico, classified as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of up to 130 mph. It is traveling northwest at approximately 12 mph. A turn toward the north-northwest is expected tonight, followed by a faster motion toward the north Saturday night and Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Hilary will move close to the west coast of the Baja California peninsula over the weekend and reach southern California by Sunday night. Hilary is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by late Sunday before it reaches Southern California.

There is a consensus among all experts that regardless of the specific track the storm ultimately takes, the effects will be widespread and will heavily impact the Los Angeles region. A historic Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for all of Los Angeles County.

Local weather updates provided by the National Weather Service can be found here.

How Angelenos Can Prepare:

Angelenos should register for NotifyLA for local alerts regarding this storm. The Los Angeles City Emergency Management Department will post updates here. Angelenos can follow @ReadyLA on social media channels for event developments and general resources to stay informed.
Angelenos are urged to stay away from the shoreline and beaches throughout the duration of the storm. Hurricane safety tips and resources provided by the National Weather Service are available here.
Los Angeles Department of Transportation Transit Operations will make any announcements involving significant road closures or transportation impacts here.

How Angelenos Can Request Support:

In the event of a life-threatening emergency, Angelenos should call 911.
For impacts like roadway flooding, tree limbs blocking roads, or mudslides, Angelenos should request service through https://lacity.gov/myla311 or by calling 311. Angelenos can also download the MyLA311 app. 311’s Sunday hours of operation will be extended until 8:00 PM, and again until 11:00 PM if there is a high call volume. 311 may also adjust hours on Monday and Tuesday as needed.
In the event of power outages or water main breaks, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers can call 1-800-DIAL-DWP or click here.

How Los Angeles Is Preparing To Address Potential Power Outages:

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) restoration crews are fully staffed and ready to respond to any power outages caused by Hurricane Hilary. LADWP has additional field crews that regularly work on distribution system construction projects on stand-by, ready to assist our Electric Trouble crews to handle any increase in outages due to rain, wind and flooding.

What Angelenos Should Do If Their Power Goes Out:

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) encourages customers to be prepared for a power outage and to stay safe by following the tips below:
Never touch a downed power line! If you see a downed wire, stay away and call 911.
Keep a flashlight and extra batteries nearby. Never use candles in a power outage or other emergency.
Keep a fully charged cell phone on hand. If your power goes out or there are outages in your neighborhood, you may lose phone service and your cordless “landline” may also lose power. Extra portable cell phone batteries are very helpful in the event of an outage.
If your power goes out:
Report it by calling 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397).
Switch off all lights, except for one, so you will know when your power has been restored.
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to protect their contents.

Click here for additional details

Additional Resources:

Angelenos should register for NotifyLA for local alerts. The Los Angeles City Emergency Management Department will post updates here. Follow @ReadyLA on social media channels for updates.
Hurricane safety tips and resources provided by the National Weather Service are available here.
Los Angeles Department of Transportation Transit Operations will make any announcements involving significant road closures or transportation impacts here.

How to request support:

For impacts like roadway flooding, tree limbs blocking roads, or mudslides, Angelenos should request service throughLACity.gov/myla311 or by calling 311. You also download the MyLA311 app.
In the event of power outages or water main breaks, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers can call 1-800-DIAL-DWP or click here.

How the City is Preparing:

311 will be expanding Sunday operating hours until 8:00 PM, and again until 11:00 PM if there is high call volume. Operating hours on Monday will be 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and may be adjusted as needed. Calls related to the storm and possible fires will be tracked.
The Emergency Management Department will be activated at a Level 2 as the hurricane develops and makes landfall.
The City of Los Angeles is working with Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to identify resources and establish augmented shelters across the City to provide shelter from the coming storm.
To help Angelenos prepare for rainstorm needs, the Los Angeles Fire Department provides free ready-to-fill sandbags at all 106 Neighborhood Fire Stations. A list of locations can be found here.
LADWP restoration crews are fully staffed and ready to respond to any power outages caused by Hurricane Hilary.
Passengers are encouraged to confirm their flight’s status before they depart for LAX and to allow for enough time to travel to and from LAX.
L.A. Animal Services’ Animal Control Officers and Specialized Mobile Animal and Rescue teams are ready to respond to any evacuation or rescue efforts.

Note: The City of Los Angeles will be prepared and as always, will work in coordination with county, state and federal partners as we move forward.