The City and County of San Diego proclaimed local emergencies as Tropical Storm Hilary approached Southern California with the potential for damaging rain, wind and flooding.
Agencies opened shelters, distributed sandbags, closed vulnerable public facilities and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel. The National Weather Service issued the region's first tropical-storm warning.
Hilary weakened as it moved north, but the mobilization showed how unusual weather systems can test a region more accustomed to wildfire and drought than tropical conditions.