Tropical Storm Rachel shifts course toward Southern California and Mexico coasts

Tropical Storm Rachel has changed course and is moving back toward the coasts of Southern California and Mexico, UPI and the Los Angeles Times report. The storm has already caused flooding in Orange County as powerful swells combine with high tides to batter coastal areas, according to reports from UPI and ABC7 Los Angeles. [1][2][4]

The National Hurricane Center stated that the storm was located 391 miles southwest of Punta Baja, Mexico, and 520 miles south-southwest of San Diego, California, UPI reported. The storm maintained maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. High tides and waves have pounded the coastline, flooding streets and homes and causing damage to beachfront properties, according to UPI, ABC7 Los Angeles, and The Washington Post. [1][4][6]

In response to the rising waters, Newport Beach declared a local emergency after ocean salt water flooded streets, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. Evacuation orders were also issued for some beachfront properties, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Weather Channel and Weather West reported that the storm has prompted a rare tropical storm watch for Southern California, including San Diego County. [2][3][4][5]

Southern California features more than 300 miles of Pacific coastline and includes densely populated areas such as Greater Los Angeles and San Diego County. The name Rachel has been used for six tropical cyclones worldwide, four of which occurred in the Eastern Pacific. [10][11][13]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, tropical systems were forecast to strike both the East and West coasts of the United States simultaneously. Forecasters expect the system to bring continued rain, high surf, and a rare flooding event to Southern California and the Southwest through the weekend, according to KTLA, Weather West, and FOX 8 Local First. [5][9][14]