Unprecedented rainfall levels sweep across the county, breaking nearly 50-year records and surpassing entire month’s averages in just one day.
SAN DIEGO — Tropical Storm Hilary made its presence felt in San Diego County on Sunday, August 20, 2023, drenching the region with historic rainfall and breaking records that have held for almost half a century.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed rainfall totals unseen in decades in certain parts of the county. With some areas experiencing their wettest August day on record, Hilary has left a significant mark on the region’s climatic history.
Prior to this storm, the record for the wettest August day in San Diego County was set on August 17, 1977, when post-hurricane Doreen unleashed record-breaking rainfall on most climate stations. “Before Hilary, the wettest August day on record in the county was Aug. 17, 1977, when post-hurricane Doreen dropped record-breaking rainfall to most climate stations,” NWS said.
Tropical Storm Hilary’s latest measurements from NWS San Diego reveal that several areas in the county have now exceeded the previous record, making August 20, 2023, the wettest August day ever recorded. This has shattered a record that stood unchallenged for nearly 50 years.
In the City of San Diego, Hilary’s 1.82 inches of rainfall not only marked the most rain on any single day this year but also represented the wettest day for the city since February 27, 2017. “For the City of San Diego, the 1.82 inches of rainfall brought on by Hilary was the most rain on any day this year and the wettest day for the city since Feb. 27, 2017,” NWS San Diego said.
The storm’s impact was felt far beyond the city limits. Escondido recorded a staggering 2.66 inches of rain on Sunday, surpassing the previous August record of 2.20 inches set in 1945. The totals for Vista and Cuyamaca were equally remarkable, with both locations reporting figures that exceeded the previous records for the entire month of August set back in 1977. Vista received 2.12 inches, while Cuyamaca reported an astounding 4.11 inches at their climate station.
Tropical Storm Hilary’s historic rainfall is a reminder of the unpredictable nature of weather, and its effects are sure to be studied and remembered for years to come in San Diego County.
