Tropical Storm Hilary dropped at least 2.63 inches of rain on Long Beach and kicked up winds that sometimes gusted over 30 mph, but the city escaped the worst of the downpour.
Power outages affected more than 15,000 Long Beach residents, and there was some minor flooding, but city officials reported no major issues as of Sunday night.
“There’s a lot of city workers and our entire city team that’s been preparing for this, and working and standing by for the community,” Mayor Rex Richardson said during a Sunday evening briefing. “We’re a very resilient community.”
Dozens of flights had been canceled at Long Beach Airport, but officials reported no issues at the port complex and only minor flooding on city streets. City bus service was suspended overnight and in-person classes at Cal State Long Beach were put on hold until Tuesday.
Wind speeds reached 38 mph on the Peninsula, and the amount of rain at Long Beach Airport was a record for Aug. 20, but other areas of Los Angeles were hit much harder during the span that Hilary battered the region. Some locations got 7 inches of precipitation in just 48 hours, and the worst winds hit 60 and even 80 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The NWS reported over 4 inches of rain in the Hollywood area and Malibu Hills, where officials warned of potentially deadly flash floods. Other areas in the foothills and valleys approached 6 and 7 inches total.
Some showers and possibly lingering thunderstorms were expected in Long Beach through Monday morning with the sun eventually breaking through by the afternoon.
City to open more homeless shelter space amid storm as beds for Catalina evacuees go unused