Tropical storm Hilary makes landfall, as Californian streets empty ahead of 81mph winds and torrential rainfall which FEMA warns could cause horror floods Tropical storm Hilary makes landfall in Baja California Peninsula in Mexico It hit the region at sustained winds of 65mph with predicted winds of 85mph FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell warned to 'take the storm seriously' By Aneeta Bhole For Dailymail.Com Published: 20:16, 20 August 2023 | Updated: 00:38, 21 August 2023 e-mail 12 shares 306 View comments Hilary has weakened from a category 1 hurricane into a tropical storm but officials have warned to 'take the storm seriously,' as it threatens southern California with treacherous conditions. Hilary made landfall in Mexico late Sunday morning over the north Baja California Peninsula with maximum sustained winds of 65mph as the storm system barrels north-northwest at speeds of 25mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was about 215 miles south-southeast of San Diego as of about 11 am local time Sunday, and it due to strike California as the state heads into its afternoon. At least one person has already died after their vehicle was swept away near Santa Rosalía, after catastrophic flooding swallowed parts of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. Hilary has weakened from a category 1 hurricane into a tropical storm but officials have warned to 'take the storm seriously,' as it threatens southern California with treacherous conditions The storm is forecast to dump 3 to 6 inches of rain – or even 10 inches in some areas – and whip up damaging winds that may knock power out for many While a majority of people took shelter from the storm, others braved wet conditions to bask in the precursor to the storm which had grown to the size of the state of Arizona Californians have pulled out their recording devices and cameras to document the brewing gray skies, rainfall and panicked stockpiling as the storm cell promises the potential for history making torrential rains in the area. The storm is forecast to dump 3 to 6 inches of rain – or even 10 inches in some areas – and whip up damaging winds of up to 81mph that may knock power out for many. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told CBS during an interview on Sunday that residents can expect 'significant impact.' Though the total amount of rain appears unlikely to exceed that of similar storms seen on the East Coast, people should not downplay the threat, Criswell added. 'People really need to take this storm in California serious,' she reiterated on ABC . Chilling images of empty streets have given a small glimpse into things to come as residents batten down the hatches in preparation for the treacherous weather Shelves at grocery stores lay bare the urgency from a community unfamiliar with such storms as stores were left gutted A few stragglers could be seen in rain jackets holding umbrellas as angry seas lashed at a pier in Imperial Beach, while some walked along the coastline while they still could in San Diego 'I think it's interesting that the total rain amounts aren't like what we see in some of our Atlantic storms and Gulf storms, but it's going to really be potentially devastating for them in these desert areas.' Panicked stockpiling and chilling images of empty streets have given a small glimpse into things to come as residents batten down the hatches in preparation for the treacherous weather. California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency on Saturday for a large swathe of his constituency adding: 'We're mobilizing all of government as we prepare and respond to this unprecedented storm.' While a majority of people took shelter from the storm, others braved wet conditions to bask in the precursor to the storm which had grown to the size of the state of Arizona. A few stragglers could be seen in rain jackets holding umbrellas as angry seas lashed at a pier in Imperial Beach, while some walked along the coastline while they still could. Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for much of Southern California to support Tropical Storm Hilary's response and recovery efforts as the state continues mobilizing and coordinating resources ahead of the forecasted impacts Volunteers and members of the Long Beach Fire Department fill sandbags at Belmont Shore Beach ahead of Hilary A vehicle splashes through puddles along a street starting to flood in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles as a tropical storm moves into the area Surfers relished the staggering walls of oceans being built on the coastline with thrill seekers attempting to make the most of the huge swells in Dana Point - despite beaches being closed in the region. Shelves at grocery stores lay bare the urgency from a community unfamiliar with such storms as stores were left gutted. Only tinned fish and in some cases plain white bread available at traditionally stocked up stores, with health-crazed Angelinos snapping up all the healthier wholemeal alternatives. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has armed itself with a full staff and crews ready to work on restoring power and clearing downed trees or power lines, the utility said in a statement. The city's reservoirs have 'sufficient capacity' to handle any increased runoff due to potential flooding, it added. Electricity utility Southern California Edison, which serves more than 15 million people in the region, said Hilary is on track to impact much of its service area. Forecasters expected Hilary to make history as the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years, bringing flash floods, mudslides, isolated tornadoes, high winds and power outages Peak wind gusts could hit as high as 81 mph at Joshua Tree National Park and 67 mph in Wrightwood The company said it is preparing to respond to outages but urged residents to gather supplies including flashlights, external battery chargers and ice chests. Forecasters warned that there could be historic flood impacts, especially for San Bernardino and Inyo counties, with Death Valley and Morongo Basin expected to see the most major flooding. Roads could be closed in Death Valley and Highway 62 according to the Los Angeles Times . It said high risk areas in LA County include the San Gabriel Mountains, the Antelope Valley - with rains triggering landslides, debris flow, mud flows and rock slides in those parts. Californians have pulled out their recording devices and cameras to document the brewing gray skies, rainfall and panicked stockpiling as the storm cell promises the potential for history making torrential rains in the area Hilary has now weakened to a tropical storm with winds around 70 miles per hour - though it still hasn’t made landfall in California. So, a great morning for surfing?! Check out how many people are in the water off Long Beach! @abc7gabe reports. | @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/lOZX5FiuPY — Marc Cota-Robles (@abc7marccr) August 20, 2023 Peak wind gusts could hit as high as 81 mph at Joshua Tree National Park and 67 mph in Wrightwood. In Anaheim peak gusts could hit 62 mph, 60 mph in Irvine, 58 in Palm Springs and Ontario, 54 in Big Bear Lake, 52 in Riverside, 46 in San Clemente, 43 in San Diego and 41 in San Bernardino. In Los Angeles County, possible peak wind gusts could be 44 mph in Santa Clarita and Lancaster, 40 in Northridge and Westlake Village, 35 in Avalon on Catalina Island, 32 in Pomona, 31 in Pasadena, 30 in Long Beach, 29 in downtown Los Angeles and 26 in Redondo Beach. Share or comment on this article: Tropical storm Hilary makes landfall, as Californian streets empty ahead of 81mph winds and torrential rainfall which FEMA warns could cause horror floods e-mail 12 shares Add comment Comments 306 Share what you think Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all The comments below have not been moderated. View all The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Add your comment Enter your comment By posting your comment you agree to our house rules . Submit Comment Clear Close Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. 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