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LIVE POST STORM UPDATES: Heavy traffic continues as drivers navigate closed roads, detours, congestion

By ,
August 24, 2023 9:20 AM
Published 8:59 PM

CLICK HERE for local traffic updates: Indian Canyon could be closed for two months, Date Palm Drive to open to two lanes more roads reopen

PSUSD to return to school Thursday

Students in the Palm Springs Unified School District will return to classes on Thursday, officials confirmed.

PSUSD officials advised parents to plan their routes to school ahead of time, as road closures and traffic delays could add extra time to the morning commute.

Pierson Bridge in Desert Hot Springs is open in both directions

8/23/23 2:39 p.m.

The City of Desert Hot Springs announced that as of 1:15 p.m., Pierson Boulevard from Indian Canyon to Desert Terrace is now open in both directions. This after only one lane was open for both Eastbound and Westbound traffic this morning with authorities directing the flow of it.

Officials say there is currently a 25 mile per hour speed limit that is strictly enforced when driving over the bridge that drivers should be aware of.

They are asking drivers to stay inside the coned lane of travel and proceed with caution.

Major roads to remain affected following flooding

8/22/23 1:30 p.m.

Major roads like Gene Autry and Indian Canyon at the wash, both key roads to get in and out of Palm Springs, are expected to remain closed for

"Gene Autry received significantly more damage to the roadway – and North Indian Canyon is by far the worst. Run off from the mountain continues to flow so we won’t be able to completely assess the full picture until the water stops, which may take about a week, but it is hard to know."

- City of Palm Springs

Tuesday morning, Desert Hot Springs shut down the bridge at Pierson Blvd. from Indian Canyon to Desert Terrace. The closure is expected to remain in place until County Flood Control assesses the area and allows the city to re-open once it’s deemed safe.

Get Road Status Alerts Here

Freeway traffic backed up and slow through Thousand Palms

8/22/23 7:50 a.m.

Interstate 10 traffic was at a crawl through Thousand Palms in both east and westbound lanes as they squeeze through an area still recovering from storm damage and massive flood and mudflows. Westbound traffic was slow from west of Cook Street in Palm Desert toward Bob Hope in Thousand Palms. Eastbound traffic was backed up 4 miles to the Date Palm interchange in Cathedral City as drivers detour around several closed exits back toward Palm Springs. The CHP reports the number 4 slow lane remained closed due to built-up flood waters and mud. Give yourself extra time to get through this traffic choke point Tuesday.

Xavier College Prep remains closed Tuesday

8/21/23 10:00 p.m.

Varner Road at Cook Street near the school continues to be flooded with water.

PSUSD cancels classes Tuesday and Wednesday due to storm

8/21/23 6:10 p.m.
The Palm Springs Unified School District will not have classes on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the effects of Tropical Storm Hilary.

DSUSD will have classes as normal on Tuesday.

Mission Springs Water District issues boil water advisory in DHS

8/21/23 5:00 p.m.

MSWD Issues a Boil Water Notice to Approximately 200 Parcels/Homes, out of an abundance of caution. Officials advise residents in the following areas to use boiled water or bottled water for drinking and cooking as a safety precaution.

  • Area 1 = 175 Customers
    • Approximate boundaries = East Indian Canyon Dr., South 13th Avenue, North of Moonlight Drive, and West of the Casa and Bluma Drives
  • Areas 2 = 30 Customers
    • Approximate boundaries = North Pierson, East Mission Creek, Along Scenic, West Indian Canyon

Boil Water Notice

What to do during a boil water advisory

Eisenhower Health unsure whether all clinics will be open on Tuesday

8/21/23 4:30 p.m.

Authorities hold news conference Cathedral City rescues

8/21/23 3:30 p.m.

Officials held a news conference to provide an update on the situation at Date Palm Drive, near Vista Chino, in Cathedral City. 46 residents in the area were rescued after becoming trapped by several inches of mud.

You can watch the news conference below:

DSUSD to hold classes on Tuesday, no decision yet on PSUSD

8/21/23 2:18 p.m.

Desert Sands Unified School District will return for classes on Tuesday.

Palm Springs Unified School District reported that they are in the process of reviewing their facilities. No decision has been made yet on whether school will be in session on Tuesday. A decision is expected to be made at around 5:00 p.m.

Eastbound Interstate 10 back open at Haugen Lehmann

8/21/23 12:58 p.m

CHP opened eastbound Interstate 10 at Haugen-Lehmann Way.

The westbound side of the Interstate 10 reopened at Bob Hope at around 12:15 pm.

CLICK HERE FOR TRAFFIC UPDATES

Riverside County Declares State of Emergency

8/21/23 12:38 p.m.

The County of Riverside today proclaimed a local emergency because of the impacts from Tropical Storm Hilary.

Officials said the emergency proclamation could help make the county eligible for potential federal and state assistance, including repairs to damaged areas. It also allows the county to quickly procure items necessary for emergency response and repair.

Palm Springs, Indio, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Desert Hot Springs, Coachella and Cathedral City have all declared local emergencies from the storm as well.

Interstate 10 Westbound reopens at Bob Hope

8/21/23 12:00 p.m.

Westbound Interstate 10 reopened at Bob Hope. Eastbound I-10 remains shut down from Bob Hope to Date Palm Drive.

According to CHP, the closure for Eastbound I-10 will be moved from Haugen Lehman to Date Palm Drive.

Eastbound traffic will be directed off at Date Palm Drive, north to Varner Road, and east on Varner Road to re-enter the freeway at Monterey Avenue. The eastbound detour has an unknown duration.

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Aerials show storm aftermath in Cathedral City

8/21/23 10:55 a.m.

Aerials from KABC show massive amounts of mud leaving many residents stuck off of the Date Palm exit in Cathedral City.

Closure on I-10 extended

8/21/23 4:17 A.M.

The closure on Interstate 10 has been expanded. It is now closed from Haugen Lehmann to Bob Hope. Many surface roads surrounding the area are also impassable.

The closure on the interstate spans roughly 30 miles.

Cal Trans sharing on Twitter that parts of the interstate closed yesterday because of flooding and debris on the highway.

We will continue to track those closures and clean up efforts.

Power Outages Reported throughout Coachella Valley

8/21/23 3:55 a.m.

Widespread power outages were reported by Southern California Edison due to damage from Tropical Storm Hilary. Edison reported 134 outages impacting 17,695 customers in its service area with 33 outages in Riverside County affecting 4169 customers. See the latest updates at Edison's website.

I-10 Remains Shut down in Both Directions from Bob Hope to Haugen Lehmann

GoogleMaps image of Interstate 10 traffic as of 4:00 a.m. Monday showing numerous road closures due to flood damage.

911 lines down in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and Indio

8/20/23 10:20 p.m.

911 phone lines are down in Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Indio. There is no timetable for the lines to return.

  • Cathedral City: Call 760-770-0303 for any police or fire-related matters
  • Palm Springs: Call 760-327-1441 for police, fire, or medical assistance in the city. You can also text 911
  • Indio: For emergencies call 760-775-3730 / Non-emergency dispatch is 760-391-4051

Firefighters rescue residents in flooded Cathedral City community

8/20/23 10:05 p.m.

Canyon Mobile Home Park along Cathedral Canyon Drive was heavily impacted by flooding. First responders rescued residents of the community.

City of Indio declared local emergency

8/20/23 9:25 p.m.

Indio’s City Manager Bryan Montgomery has proclaimed the existence of a local emergency. The local emergency proclamation ensures the City has the ability to activate its Emergency Plan, and is required to request state or federal assistance.

Sinkhole reported near Southwest Church

8/20/23 9:10 p.m.

Crews were at the scene of a reported shallow sinkhole near the area of Fred Waring and Washington.

Flash Flood Warning extended through 11:30 p.m.

8/20/23 8:40 p.m.

The Flash Flood Warning in the Coachella Valley has been extended to 11:30 p.m.

CHP Closing Both Sides of I-10 at Ramon Road

8/20/23 7:45 p.m.

Both sides of the I-10 have been shut down, from Gene Autry to Bob Hope.

Watch our livestream of the area below:

Flash Flood Warning extended in the Coachella Valley until 8:30 p.m.

8/20/23 6:40 p.m.

Flash Flood Warning continues for Indio CA, Cathedral City CA and Palm Desert CA until 8:30 PM PDT, the National Weather Service announced.

President Biden issues statement on storm

8/20/23 6:00 p.m.

"As soon as Tropical Storm Hilary’s path became clear, my Administration took immediate action to prepare. At my direction, FEMA deployed to California federal personnel and supplies that can be surged to impacted communities. The U.S. Coast Guard pre-positioned aircraft to allow for rapid response and search-and-rescue efforts. My Administration also deployed federal personnel to Nevada to ensure the state has additional support, and we will continue to coordinate with California, Nevada, and Arizona on any resources they might need.
 
This afternoon I spoke to California Governor Gavin Newsom about the emergency preparedness measures in place, and the initial response to Tropical Storm Hilary. I continue to be briefed on our preparedness efforts, and the storm’s potential impact – including flooding. My Administration stands ready to provide additional assistance as requested. I urge people to take this storm seriously, and listen to state and local officials.
 
We are also closely monitoring the earthquake that occurred in Southern California, and any resulting impacts."

PSUSD & DSUSD cancel classes Monday

8/20/23 5:05 p.m.

Palm Springs Unified and Desert Sands Unified school districts canceled classes Monday.

Flash Flood Warning extended to 7:00 PM PDT

8/20/23 4:52 p.m.

Sunline Suspends Service Indefinitely

8/20/23 4:52 p.m.

The Sunline Transit Agency will be suspending service indefinitely, officials told News Channel 3.

Hospital ER entrance flooded out

8/20/23 4:20 p.m.

A photo shows the entrance to the Eisenhower Health ER is flooded.

Roads closed throughout the Coachella Valley

8/20/23 4:10 p.m.

Roads all throughout the Coachella Valley are

GET UPDATES ON LOCAL ROAD CLOSURES HERE

Palm Springs declares local emergency due to storm

8/20/23 3:18 p.m.

Due to unprecedented rainfall and flooding of local roadways and at least one swift water rescue, Palm Springs City Manager Scott C. Stiles has declared a local emergency due to the critically dangerous impacts of Hurricane Hilary.

Governor Gavin Newsom met with Palm Springs leaders and first responders on Sunday as the city prepared for the storm.

Imperial County issues evacuation warning for residents near Salton Sea

8/20/23 2:40 p.m.

An Evacuation Warning has been issued to residents of the townships of Ocotillo, Salton City, Salton City Beach, Bombay Beach, and Desert Shores due to potential flood and wind impacts of Tropical Storm Hilary.

Cathedral City closes Dinah Shore

8/20/23 2:20 p.m.

Cathedral City's Public Works crews are closing Dinah Shore Drive between Cathedral Canyon Drive and Date Palm Drive due to flooding

Flash flood warning

8/20/23 1:40 P.M.

A Flash Flood Warning has been issued and it includes Coachella, Mecca, and Thermal. It is in place through 4:45 PM.

Severe thunderstorm warning

8/20/23 1:00 P.M.

A severe thunderstorm warning is now impacting much of the Coachella Valley.

Radar images show moisture moving in

8/20/23 11:26 A.M.

Want to see conditions throughout the valley without leaving home? Access the News Channel 3 live weather cameras here.

Flight cancellations at Palm Springs International Airport

8/20/23 9:00 A.M.

As of Sunday morning, Hilary hasn't made landfall but it's already impacting flights heading in and out of the valley.

We are tracking arrivals and departures from Palm Springs International Airport. Several airlines already making cancellations including Southwest, Alaska, American Airlines, and Westjet.

The Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is asking passengers to check their flight status ahead of time before traveling to the airport. Representatives for the airport say that this is the best way to ensure passenger safety and reduce disruptions ahead of Tropical Storm Hilary as they anticipate the impact.

Read more about the airport's storm plan, including backup power and other preventative measures here.

You can track all flights here.

Hilary downgraded to Tropical Storm

8/20/23 8:00 A.M.

Hilary is now a tropical storm. Threats to the Coachella Valley remain the same.

Road closures in Cathedral City

8/20/23 8:00 A.M.

Hilary is now a Tropical Storm. Threats to the Coachella Valley remain the same.

Check Out: Resources as rain impacts the Coachella Valley

Road closures in Cathedral City

8/19/23 9:52 P.M.

Public safety officials in Cathedral City have closed Los Gatos Road at Date Palm Drive ahead of anticipated flooding from Hilary.

Palm Springs closes major roadways

8/19/23 8:47 P.M.

Drivers on North Indian Canyon Drive, Gene Autry Trail, or Vista Chino near the wash after midnight Saturday night into Sunday morning will find closed roadways. The City of Palm Springs is barricading the roads in these areas in anticipation of flood waters from Hilary.

The roads are expected to be closed until flood waters recede. Alternative routes include Highway 111, Ramon Road, and Dinah Shore.

Catastrophic flooding impacts

8/19/23 7:50 P.M.

The National Hurricane Center is urging people to complete any preparations for flooding impacts as soon as you can. "Dangerous to locally catastrophic flooding impacts are expected late tonight through early Monday in portions of the Southwestern United States."

https://youtu.be/STVgVp2NsRo

Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz was among the crowds filling sandbags in Indio on Saturday.

https://youtu.be/OVO6T0kp-Ts

Hilary downgraded to a category 1 hurricane

8/19/23 7:50 P.M.

Hurricane Hilary is now downgraded to a category 1 hurricane by the National Hurricane Center.


Evacuations warnings issued for burn scar areas

8/19/23 7:28 P.M.

Riverside County is issuing evacuation warnings for the Noble, Marshal, and Smith zones of the Apple and El Dorado Burn scar areas.

Governor Gavin Newsom declares State of Emergency as Hilary approaches Southern California

8/19/23 6:13 P.M.

Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a State of Emergency as Hurricane Hilary, right now a category 2 storm, takes aim at Southern California.

Newsom's office reports: "At the Governor’s direction, there are currently more than 7,500 boots on the ground deployed to help local communities protect Californians from the impacts of Hurricane Hilary."

The State Operations Center has been activated. Resources have been prepositioned to respond during the storm.

The declaration includes "Hurricane Hilary is expected to prompt widespread evacuations and shelter-in-place orders; to threaten, damage, or destroy homes and critical infrastructure, including power and water lines, businesses, and roads; and to necessitate the deployment of search and rescue teams in
areas impacted by significant debris flow... Hurricane Hilary, including associated debris flows, is expected
to damage or destroy roads in Southern California."


Hurricane Hilary weakens as it nears cooler waters

8/19/23 4:47 P.M.

Hurricane Hilary continues to weaken Saturday afternoon. It was downgraded to a category 2 strength with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. The storm track will bring Hilary near the cooler waters along the Baja California coast, weakening as a result before nearing Southern California. The Tropical Storm Warning remains in place for southwest California.

PSP ANNOUNCES SOUTHWEST IS CANCELING ALL FLIGHTS THROUGH MONDAY
8/19/23 2:50 P.M.

The Palm Springs International Airport announced through Twitter that Southwest has canceled all of its flights in and out of their airport through Monday. They are asking all of the effected travelers to contact the airline for options to rebook.

Palm Springs International is asking other travelers with flights still unaffected by Hilary to check their flight status ahead of time in a release earlier today.

COACHELLA VALLEY UPGRADED TO TROPICAL STORM WARNING
8/18/23 8:45 PM

The Coachella Valley has been upgraded to a TROPICAL STORM WARNING.

As of noon Saturday, The National Hurricane Center said the center of Hilary will move close to the west-central coast of the Baja California Peninsula tonight and Sunday morning then move across southern California Sunday afternoon and Sunday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph with higher gusts. Hilary is a category 3 hurricane with weakening expected. Hilary is expected to weaken to a tropical storm before it reaches southern California.

A Flood Watch covers Southern California from the coast to the Colorado River. Heavy rainfall paired with excessive runoff is likely to flood low-lying areas, and roadways, especially along the wash, will be impacted.

Check Out: Resources as rain impacts the Coachella Valley

This is a live news blog. It will continually be updated as more information comes down on the storm

Get continuing updates on the storm itself from our First Alert Weather Team

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