Storm brings heavy rain and wind to Southern California
Tropical Storm Hilary, which formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Saturday, brought heavy rain and wind to Southern California on Sunday and Monday. The storm caused flash flooding, power outages, and road closures in some areas. According to the National Hurricane Center, Hilary had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving northwest at 12 mph as of Monday morning. The storm was expected to weaken gradually as it moved away from the coast.
Long Beach State shifts to virtual classes on Monday
Officials at Cal State University Long Beach announced Sunday evening that in-person classes would shift to online learning on Monday, Aug. 21, as Tropical Storm Hilary swept through the region. The decision was made out of an abundance of caution for the safety of students, faculty, and staff. Normal operations were expected to resume Tuesday.
“Essential safety and facilities staff as well as those in key student-support functions will need to be on site,” a statement from the university said Sunday evening. “Employees should confer with their direct supervisor for more specific information.”
School officials also urged students facing travel challenges to play it safe. “If you are a new or returning student from out of the area who is facing flight cancellations or other travel delays,” the statement said, “please put your safety first and we will welcome you back to campus when you are able to get here.”
Students and faculty react to the storm and the class changes
Some students and faculty at Long Beach State expressed their views on the storm and the class changes on social media. Some were disappointed that they could not attend their first day of classes in person, while others were relieved that they did not have to commute in the bad weather.
“I was looking forward to meeting my new students today, but I guess we’ll have to wait until tomorrow,” tweeted a professor of history.
“I’m glad they canceled classes today, I don’t want to drive in this mess,” tweeted a student of engineering.
Some students also shared photos and videos of the storm’s impact on the campus and the surrounding areas. Some showed flooded streets, fallen trees, and damaged buildings.
“This is crazy, look at all this water,” tweeted a student of journalism.
“Wow, a tree fell on my car, I hope it’s not too bad,” tweeted a student of psychology.
Storm expected to move away from California by Tuesday
According to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Hilary was expected to move away from California by Tuesday and head toward Hawaii. However, the storm could still bring some residual rain and wind to parts of Southern California on Monday night and Tuesday morning. The center advised residents to monitor local weather conditions and follow any advisories or warnings issued by local authorities.
