Rachel's remnants fuel major West Coast flood threat with heavy rainfall soaking millions
Rachel's remnants fuel major West Coast flood threat with heavy rainfall soaking millions
Hayley Vawter Sun, October 11, 2026 at 3:02 PM UTC
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(Getty Images)
The Southwest is expecting rare impacts from the remnants of Rachel, which made landfall in Mexico just south of the U.s. early this morning.
The impacts on Southern California and the Southwest will be significant, with the FOX Forecast Center warning that months of rainfall could fall in just a few hours through the weekend.
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Rachel — which weakened from a tropical storm Saturday night, approached northern Baja California during the day Saturday, and moved onshore late Saturday night.
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 09: In an aerial view, people watch from a home as a Pacific Ocean wave crashes into a seawall amid powerful surf on October 9, 2026 in Long Beach, California
Heavy rain from Rachel's post-tropical remnants will quickly spread across southern California and up into southern Nevada, including Las Vegas throughout today.
The area of greatest concern for flooding is from Riverside County in southeast California into northwest Arizona, southern Nevada and then into the slot canyon regions of southwest Utah, the FOX Forecast Center said.
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A Level 3 out of 4 flash flood threat is in effect for these areas today.
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Photos from across Southern California showed the flooding from Rachel on Friday. Water pooled across roads and beaches, and rough surf slammed into beachfront homes.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, more than two months of rain could fall in these desert locations, with rain totals potentially reaching up to 2 inches in lower elevations and as much as 5 inches falling at higher elevations.
San Diego is forecast to see up to an inch of rain.
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A Tropical Storm Watch was issued for the city for the second time in its history. The last time was during Hurricane Hilary in Aug. 2023, the FOX Forecast Center said.
Las Vegas and Salt Lake City could see up to 2 inches of rain with the system as it moves inland.
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In addition to the rain and flooding concerns, wind will be a concern in Southern California, western Arizona and southern Nevada.
Flooding started on Friday, as winds from Rachel pushed waters onto the coast in Newport Beach.
Wind gusts upwards of 40 mph are possible in San Diego and nearby areas, while in the mountains and desert, gusts could reach 60 mph.
Wind Advisories and High Wind Watches are issued across California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah through Monday.
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If all the rain and flooding wasn't enough, the FOX Forecast Center said moisture from this system will reach as far north as Montana, helping fuel a fallsnowstorm across the state and northern Wyoming.
Between 6 inches and a foot of snow is forecast in the higher elevations during what will be the first significant snowstorm across the Lower 48 this fall.
Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are in place across western Montana through Monday morning.
FOX Weather will continue to bring you the latest forecast and impacts as Rachel makes landfall, and the storm's remnants move into the Southwest.
Original article source:Rachel's remnants fuel major West Coast flood threat with heavy rainfall soaking millions
Source: “AOL Breaking”
