Forecasters have extended flash-flood risks and issued widespread flood watches across the Southwest as the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel move inland. The severe weather system has already dumped heavy rain, caused coastal flooding, and triggered record-breaking downpours from Southern California up into Las Vegas and parts of Utah, Idaho, and Arizona.
According to the National Weather Service, flood watches remain in effect through Monday afternoon across parts of Utah, southeast Idaho, and northern and central Arizona, including the Grand Canyon. The system’s moisture, combined with upper-level atmospheric spin, has brought widespread rain totals ranging from 1 to 5 inches. This threatens normally dry creeks, arroyos, slot canyons, and major urban centers.
Las Vegas Ties All-Time October Rainfall Record
Las Vegas bore the brunt of the desert deluge on Sunday morning, recording 1.08 inches of rain. This total tied the city’s all-time daily October rainfall record, matching a benchmark last reached in October 1947, according to the National Weather Service. Social media videos captured fast-moving floodwaters rushing down streets near the Las Vegas Strip, with local casinos and the city skyline visible in the background.
Meteorologist Daniel Berc of the National Weather Service office in Las Vegas noted that the western side of the Las Vegas valley saw between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain. Areas further north near Floyd Lamb Park recorded around 2 inches, representing a quarter to a half of the area’s typical annual precipitation.
Impact Across Southern California and Coastal Communities
While the storm lost its tropical characteristics as it pushed inland, its lingering effects severely impacted Southern California. Coastal flood advisories and warnings stretched from San Diego up through San Luis Obispo and San Francisco Bay, driven by high tides, strong onshore winds, and leftover swells.
- Long Beach: High surf battered the historic boardwalk, causing structural collapses between 64th and 65th Place on Seaside Walk. Evacuations were ordered for vulnerable residential blocks.
- Newport Beach: City crews worked around the clock, constructing massive sand berms up to 12 feet high along the Balboa Peninsula to hold back storm surges after initial breaches flooded local streets on Friday.
- San Bernardino County: Swift-water rescue teams successfully lifted two individuals to safety after they became trapped in a flood control channel feeding the Santa Ana River.
- Coachella Valley: Heavy runoff triggered mud and debris flows along Highway 74 south of Palm Desert, covering lanes with rocks and soil.
Transition to Inland States and Winter Weather
As Rachel’s post-tropical remnants continue tracking northeast, precipitation is expanding into the Southern Great Basin, Utah, and western Colorado. Simultaneously, the storm’s moisture meeting cold air moving in from the Pacific Northwest has generated heavy mountain snowfall, with totals exceeding a foot reported across portions of the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky Mountains in Montana.
Forecasters advise residents and travelers across the Southwest to monitor local alerts closely, avoid flooded roadways, and postpone visits to regional national parks until hazardous conditions subside.
