Congressman Ruiz Urges President Biden to Declare a Federal State of Emergency for Southern California as Hurricane Hilary Makes Landfall

City of El Centro, CA – Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) released the following statement on urging the President to declare a federal state of emergency for Southern California:

“With Governor Newsom issuing a State of Emergency and the devastation expected from Hurricane Hilary in our desert and under-resourced communities, I urge President Biden to declare a Federal State of Emergency for Southern California and to expedite resources to assist in disaster mitigation, rescue, and rehabilitation,” said Dr. Ruiz. “I will continue to advocate for the safety of the people I serve and work with local, state and federal agencies to facilitate needed resources.”

 Background

 Hurricane Hilary, an exceptionally powerful Category 4 storm with winds reaching up to 145 mph, is anticipated to strike Southern California as a tropical storm, marking an unprecedented meteorological event for the region. This rare occurrence prompted the National Hurricane Center to issue its first-ever tropical storm watch for Southern California.

Key Points:

UNPRECEDENTED WATCH:The National Hurricane Center has, for the first time, put forth a tropical storm watch for Southern California. This signifies the potential of tropical storm conditions to hit the region by Sunday.

APPROACHING STORM:The hurricane, currently positioned off central Mexico's western coast, is forecasted to impact Baja California with hurricane conditions starting Saturday night, introducing the threat of significant rainfall, potential flash floods, and landslides from late Friday through Sunday.

CALIFORNIA'S RISK: As Hurricane Hilary nears Southern California, it's expected to downgrade to a tropical storm by Sunday night. Yet, Southern California and parts of southern Nevada are still at risk of witnessing 3 to 6 inches of rain, possibly reaching up to 10 inches in some areas. This extreme rainfall may result in unusual flash, urban, and arroyo flooding events.

WIND THREAT: Baja California could start experiencing tropical storm conditions as early as Friday night, escalating to hurricane conditions on its western coast the following evening. Southern California is predicted to face these conditions starting Sunday.

CONCERN IN MEXICO:With hurricane watches and warnings already active for large sections of Baja California's western coast, from Punta Abreojos up to Ensenada, there are rising fears of a perilous storm surge, likely leading to significant coastal flooding.

In a CBS News report, Greg Postel, a specialist from the Weather Channel, emphasized the potential damage from wind gusts, particularly in elevated areas, alongside coastal swells. In light of Hilary's projected path, tropical storm watches were extended to include regions from the California-Mexico border to the boundary of Orange and Los Angeles counties and even Catalina Island, signaling that such conditions could manifest within the subsequent 48 hours.