Hurricane Hilary (2023)

Basin

Eastern Pacific

Dates

August 16, 2023 to August 20, 2023

Peak strength

Category 4, 120 kt (138 mph)

Lowest pressure

940 mb (27.76 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

13.2

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

250 nmi (463 km, 288 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

60 nmi (111 km, 69 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

10 nmi (19 km, 12 mi)

Overall size

400 nmi (741 km, 460 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

150 kt (173 mph)

Fastest the center moved

29 kt (33 mph)

Identifier

EP092023

The sources count different things and are not added together.

Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled March 2026.

Deaths

0 (0 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

0

Property damage

$538 million

Crop damage

none recorded

Events recorded

156 in 12 reports from 5 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

76 flash flood, 28 high wind, 14 thunderstorm wind, 13 flood, 13 tropical storm, 8 heavy rain, 2 debris flow, 1 lightning, 1 funnel cloud.

The strongest winds National Weather Service offices recorded with this storm. An estimated figure is a forecaster’s judgment from the damage, not an instrument reading.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

NVDOT reported a rockslide blocking the westbound lane on US-6, near NF-607. Heavy precipitation from Tropical Storm Hilary preceded the rockslide. Many sites reported 1-3 inches of rainfall with this event. Cattle Camp Raws, located 23 miles east of the rockslide, measured 2.17 inches of rain.

White Pine, Nevada · Debris Flow · Aug 20, 18:15 UTC

Approximately 12 mobile homes sustained severe roof/shingle damage at the Coyote Ranch mobile home park. Nearby along Fortuna Road, a carport awning was destroyed with part of the awning blocking much of the roadway. Timing and wind magnitude estimated based on nearby observations. No injuries were reported.

Yuma, Arizona · High Wind · Aug 20, 21:45 UTC

Multiple instances of wind damage were reported along several different roads near the Tacna area, including Avenue 16, Avenue 31, Avenue 36, and Avenue 42. Along Avenues 31 and 36, railroad crossing signals were toppled or damaged. Power lines were reported down along Avenues 16 and 42. Awnings were also destroyed on RVs in the Welton area. Timing estimated based on nearby observations. No injuries were reported.

Gila River Valley, Arizona · High Wind · Aug 20, 22:00 UTC

Tropical Storm Hilary produced widespread tropical storm-force winds across Southern California on August 20. The following are the top wind gusts reported across the Coachella Valley: Palm Desert 1: 57 MPH (4:55 PM 08/20) Palm Springs Tram (SCE361): 57 MPH (5:00 PM 08/20) Cathedral Canyon: 56 MPH (5:52 PM 08/20) Mecca: 56 MPH (4:56 PM 08/20) Palm Springs Airport: 48 MPH (6:27 PM 08/20) Palm Desert (SCE416): 46 MPH (4:20 PM 08/20) Palm Springs (SCE638): 46 MPH (5:00 PM 08/20) I-10 - West Of Date Palm Drive: 44 MPH (4:45 PM 08/20) Palm Desert: 42 MPH (5:26 PM 08/20) Indio: 41 MPH (6:15 PM 08/20) Cathedral City (SCE855): 41 MPH (5:50 PM 08/20). A large tree was downed in Palm Desert, blocking the eastbound lanes of Route 111, partially closing the road. Other trees were downed along Monterey Ave in Palm Desert. The awning on a Starbucks was downed in Palm Desert.

Coachella Valley, California · Tropical Storm · Aug 20, 23:00 UTC

Tropical Storm Hilary produced widespread tropical storm-force winds across Southern California from early morning on August 20 through the early morning hours on August 21. The following are the top wind gusts reported across Orange County Inland areas: San Clemente Ridge (SDGE): 57 MPH (6:20 PM 08/20) San Clemente: 53 MPH (5:55 PM 08/20) Chino Hills: 52 MPH (6:57 PM 08/20) Baker Canyon (SCE097): 48 MPH (12:00 AM 08/21) Chino Hills: 47 MPH (12:08 AM 08/21) Upper Bell: 47 MPH (6:26 PM 08/20) Limestone Cyn (SCE1114): 43 MPH (6:50 PM 08/20) Villa Park Dam (SCE128): 43 MPH (7:20 PM 08/20) Gypsum Canyon (SCE127): 41 MPH (12:00 AM 08/21). Trees and large tree branches fell along the Santa Ana river, Riverview Golf Course, and in La Habra. Reports of winds removing shingles from houses in La Habra. 190 customers lost power during the event.

Orange County Inland, California · Tropical Storm · Aug 21, 01:00 UTC

SR-376 was washed out at mile marker 62 north of the city of Cavers, NV. Anywhere from 1-4 inches of rain from Tropical Storm Hilary fell across Nye County. Quima Peak Raws, located just 35 miles south of the washout, measured 3.96 inches of rain from the event. SR-376 from Cavers to US-50 has been closed as a result and remains closed indefinitely.

Nye, Nevada · Flood · Aug 21, 12:40 UTC

Widespread wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph occurred on the 21st especially in the morning with a peak of 60 mph measured 4 miles west southwest of Galena.

Sun Valley Region, Idaho · High Wind · Aug 21, 15:00 UTC

Extensive wind gusts in the 50 to 60 mph range occurred in the Arco and Mud Lake Desert. Big Southern Butte measured 67 mph for the peak gust in the region.

Arco-Mud Lake Desert, Idaho · High Wind · Aug 21, 18:20 UTC

A wind gust of 68 mph was recorded at the Glacier Park International Airport. The thunderstorm resulted in a couple hundred customers without power in West Glacier and near Coram, according to Flathead Electric COOP. Numerous reports of downed trees were also received.

Flathead, Montana · Thunderstorm Wind · Aug 22, 22:22 UTC

Multiple car crashes were reported on Interstate-90 near Missoula as a thunderstorm with strong winds and heavy rain moved through. A wind gust of 52 mph was recorded at the Missoula International Airport, with the main core of the storm passing to the east of the airport.

Missoula, Montana · Thunderstorm Wind · Aug 22, 23:15 UTC

• Hurricane AdrianEastern Pacific · 2023Cat 290 kt · 970 mb
• Hurricane BeatrizEastern Pacific · 2023Cat 175 kt · 992 mb
• Hurricane CalvinEastern Pacific · 2023Cat 3110 kt · 953 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2023Tropical Depression30 kt · 1006 mb
• Hurricane DoraEastern Pacific · 2023Cat 4130 kt · 939 mb
• Tropical Storm EugeneEastern Pacific · 2023Tropical Storm60 kt · 992 mb
• Hurricane FernandaEastern Pacific · 2023Cat 4115 kt · 949 mb
• Tropical Storm GregEastern Pacific · 2023Tropical Storm45 kt · 1000 mb
• Tropical Storm IrwinEastern Pacific · 2023Tropical Storm40 kt · 998 mb
• Hurricane JovaEastern Pacific · 2023Cat 5140 kt · 926 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2023Tropical Depression30 kt · 1006 mb
• Tropical Storm KennethEastern Pacific · 2023Tropical Storm45 kt · 1000 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionEastern Pacific · 2023Tropical Depression30 kt · 1006 mb
• Hurricane LidiaEastern Pacific · 2023 · 3 deathsCat 4120 kt · 942 mb
• Tropical Storm MaxEastern Pacific · 2023 · 2 deathsTropical Storm60 kt · 990 mb
• Hurricane NormaEastern Pacific · 2023Cat 4115 kt · 939 mb
• Hurricane OtisEastern Pacific · 2023 · 52 deathsCat 5145 kt · 922 mb
• Tropical Storm PilarEastern Pacific · 2023 · 4 deathsTropical Storm55 kt · 995 mb
• Tropical Storm RamonEastern Pacific · 2023Tropical Storm40 kt · 1002 mb

A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.

Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Best track as KMZ, National Hurricane Center
• Best track as a shapefile, National Hurricane Center