August 18, 2023
The first-ever tropical storm watch for California has been issued by the National Weather Service as a Pacific hurricane heads toward Southern California.
EUSD officials will be monitoring the storm as it makes its way toward the region, and we will communicate with you through our regular channels if the storm has any impact on school facilities or operations.
Hurricane Hilary has strengthened into a Category 4 storm and is expected to make landfall somewhere along the west coast of Baja California this weekend, with torrential rainfall expected across the Southwestern United States.
Forecasters predict that Hurricane Hilary is likely to be downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it reaches San Diego County, but there is still the potential for severe weather here, including strong winds, flash flooding, heavy rain, and thunderstorms.
EUSD families are encouraged to sign up for Alert San Diego for important regional safety notifications. In addition, the County of San Diego website provides information on preparedness for storms and flooding.
The City of Escondido is monitoring the progress of Hurricane Hilary and providing updates on social media to residents. City crews and emergency responders are prepared and closely monitoring the storm. The city asks that residents report flooding, flashing traffic signals, sewer overflows, or other non-emergency issues to the Police Department Non-Emergency Line at 760-839-4722. Sandbags are available for Escondido residents at Kit Carson Park. Residents will need to bring identification and their own shovels, and be prepared to fill the sandbags themselves.