Tropical Storm Hilary: Where to get free sandbags by county
LOS ANGELES - Parts of Southern California are under a tropical storm watch for the first time in history, as Tropical Storm Hilary bears down on the region.
As the storm approaches, officials are advising everyone to take the necessary precautions and steps to prepare.
SUGGESTED: How to prepare for Hurricane Hilary
Tap or click your county below to see where you can get free sandbags:
People are advised to call ahead to double-check availability as some places may have a limited supply. Bring along a shovel just in case you may need one to fill your own bags.
Forecasters said the storm could bring heavy rainfall to the southwestern United States, dumping 3 to 6 inches in places, with isolated amounts of up to 10 inches in portions of Southern California and southern Nevada.
"This is being labeled as historic, life-threatening and potentially catastrophic rainfall for Southern California and a good chunk of the desert Southwest in general," said John Cangialosi, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center. "That is because we could see about a year’s worth of rain from this event for those regions."
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Courtney Carpenter, a National Weather Service warning coordination meteorologist, said experts forecast flash floods, mudslides, isolated tornadoes and wind damage to Southern California, as well as life-threatening surf conditions and rip currents to the beaches.