00:00Tropical Storm Rachel is heading toward southern California and the southwestern United States.
00:05The storm could bring heavy rain, cooler temperatures, and powerful wind gusts this weekend.
00:11Forecasters say Rachel could cross into California as a tropical storm, depression, or tropical rainstorm.
00:18The last official tropical storm landfall in southern California occurred in 1939.
00:24Rainfall could reach 1 to 2 inches across a wide area from Baja, California, to central Utah.
00:30Southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona could receive 4 to 8 inches of rain.
00:35Some locations could experience rainfall rates of up to 3 inches per hour, raising the risk of life-threatening flash
00:41flooding.
00:42Wind gusts could reach 90 miles per hour, according to AccuWeather projections.
00:47Phoenix, Flagstaff, Palm Springs, Cedar City, and Las Vegas face potential flooding impacts.
00:53Heavy rain could also trigger mudslides, especially near canyons and recent wildfire burn scars.
00:59The storm may bring drought relief, improve Colorado river flows, and reduce wildfire risk across parts of the southwest.
01:07Disclosure. This video contains stock footage and content created or enhanced using AI-assisted tools.
