By admin 
In a rare event, part of California is under an official Tropical Storm Watch, with rain and winds set to arrive to the San Diego region Saturday evening.
Read more Recalled seafood that went to Florida and other states might have listeria
As of 2 p.m. Saturday, Tropical Storm Rachel had strengthened with maximum winds of 65 mph, and was making a beeline for the coast just south of Tijuana. With landfall expected later Saturday evening not far south of the US-Mexico border.
Rachel will then quickly move into the United States, with its center over the Mojave Desert as it works northward towards Las Vegas by Sunday morning.
Wind gusts are expected to reach tropical storm force near San Diego, where a rare Tropical Storm Watch is in effect, and further inland late Saturday and through Sunday into the Mojave.
Flooding rains will be a primary concern, with several showers from Rachel having already reached the United States shoreline as of 2 pm Saturday. Widespread amounts of 1-2 inches of rain are expected from San Diego north to Riverside and Palm Springs, posing a risk for flash flooding on mountainsides, urban environments, and in the desert. Lesser amounts are expected further west towards Los Angeles, where more showers are expected Saturday night.
Read more Mai Vang’s Hasan Piker fundraiser ignites new feud in Matsui race. What to know
Rain will continue through this region Sunday morning, with rains continuing in Nevada and Utah later Sunday.
Strong surf from the storm will also continue to be a concern. Thanks to elevated seas from the ongoing El Niño “Kelvin Waves”, coastal erosion and flooding has already occurred as Rachel pushes waves ashore. Intense flooding has been ongoing in Newport Beach since Friday morning.
This story was originally published October 10, 2026 at 2:50 PM with the headline “Tropical Storm Rachel set for landfall south of San Diego. What it means for rain.”
Read more Mai Vang’s Hasan Piker fundraiser ignites new feud in Matsui race. What to know