09/04/2026
Facebook Exclusive: Whittier prepares for Sunday rain as Hurricane Marie sends tropical moisture into Southern California
By Rebecca Canales
Whittier 360 News Network
September 4, 2026
WHITTIER, Calif. — The City of Whittier is distributing sandbags through Sunday as tropical moisture associated with Hurricane Marie moves toward Southern California, bringing an increased chance of rain, higher humidity and the possibility of thunderstorms to Los Angeles County.
Hurricane Marie itself is not expected to strike Southern California. As of Friday morning, the National Hurricane Center reported Marie as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph about 550 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
Marie was moving west-northwest at about 9 mph, away from land. No coastal tropical storm or hurricane watches or warnings were in effect.
The National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard office said Marie is expected to remain well offshore, but moisture well ahead of the hurricane will reach Southern California over the weekend.
For Whittier and most inland residents, the primary concern is not hurricane-force winds. It is the possibility of rain falling from a very moist tropical air mass, particularly on Sunday.
Sunday expected to be the main rain day
National Weather Service forecasters say rain could begin as early as Saturday evening, but Sunday is expected to have the greatest chance of precipitation.
For Los Angeles County as a whole, the National Weather Service estimates a 50 to 80 percent chance of light to moderate rainfall.
Rainfall totals are still expected to be relatively modest across most populated areas. Forecasters said Friday morning that most population centers should receive around a quarter-inch or less, with overall totals generally remaining below half an inch.
That means Whittier is not currently forecast to receive several inches of widespread rainfall.
There is, however, considerably more uncertainty when it comes to individual thunderstorms or heavier showers.
The National Weather Service estimates about a 5 percent chance of excessive rainfall and minor flooding from embedded heavier showers or thunderstorms. Thunderstorm probabilities are currently around 5 to 15 percent.
A slow-moving thunderstorm, or multiple showers repeatedly passing over the same neighborhood, could produce more than a quarter-inch of rain within an hour.
That distinction is important. A neighborhood could experience a brief heavy downpour and localized street flooding even while Whittier's overall storm total remains relatively small.
Sunday's increased cloud cover is expected to keep temperatures in the mid-80s in the Whittier area rather than allowing the region to heat significantly.
Warmer weather returns after the rain
Current forecasts indicate a break in the weather beginning Monday, although the National Weather Service cautions that some lingering moisture could still produce drizzle or an isolated shower.
Temperatures are then expected to rise.
Whittier should return to around 90 degrees Monday, followed by temperatures in the low 90s Tuesday and Wednesday.
The broader weather pattern becomes less certain later in the week. Forecasters say Southern California could become positioned between a ridge of high pressure to the southeast and a trough to the west, potentially allowing additional tropical moisture into the region.
At this point, however, there is no indication of another significant rain event for Whittier later in the week.
Humidity will increase
Even residents who receive little or no rain Sunday are likely to notice the increase in humidity.
The National Weather Service says atmospheric moisture could reach unusually high levels over portions of Los Angeles County, with precipitable water approaching two inches.
Precipitable water measures how much water v***r exists through the depth of the atmosphere. It does not mean two inches of rain will fall.
The increased tropical moisture will make the air feel more humid and can make temperatures feel warmer, particularly outside areas receiving showers.
Clouds should limit daytime heating Sunday, but increased moisture can also prevent temperatures from falling as quickly overnight.
City of Whittier distributes sandbags
The City of Whittier announced that sandbags will be available Friday through Sunday, September 4 through September 6, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the City Yard gate at 12016 Hadley Street.
Proof of Whittier residency is required, and residents are limited to 10 bags each.
The city is encouraging residents to clear leaves and debris from storm drains, turn off sprinklers and drive cautiously when roads become wet.
Residents of unincorporated Whittier are being directed to Los Angeles County Public Works sandbag distribution locations.
The city's decision to distribute sandbags should not be interpreted as a forecast of widespread major flooding.
Sandbags are most appropriate for homes and businesses that have flooded previously, sit in low-lying areas, receive runoff from surrounding streets or hillsides, or have vulnerable garages and doorways.
Sheriff's Department urges residents to prepare
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has also issued a broad storm-preparedness message urging residents not to underestimate tropical weather.
LASD said people living near rivers, creeks, washes, drainage channels, low-lying areas, mountains and recently burned hillsides should be especially prepared.
The department recommended clearing gutters and storm drains, securing outdoor furniture and loose objects, checking tires, brakes and windshield wipers, charging phones and backup batteries, and keeping flashlights, food, water and necessary medications available.
Residents were also encouraged to know more than one route out of their neighborhoods, make sure they can receive emergency alerts and check on family members, neighbors and others who could need assistance.
During flooding, LASD warned residents not to drive or walk through moving or flooded water, not to drive around barricades and to stay away from rivers, washes, creeks and flood-control channels.
The department also urged residents to follow evacuation instructions immediately if an evacuation is ordered.
Did LASD mean Tropical Storm Hilary?
There is one apparent error in the Sheriff's Department's storm-preparedness post.
LASD wrote that "Tropical Storm EL Nino" previously demonstrated the dangers tropical weather can pose to Los Angeles County.
But El Niño is not a tropical storm.
El Niño is a large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate pattern involving unusually warm surface waters in parts of the tropical Pacific Ocean. It can influence weather patterns over many months, but it is not an individual storm that moves into Southern California.
That raises a question: Did LASD mean Tropical Storm Hilary?
Hilary entered Southern California as a tropical storm in August 2023 and brought heavy rainfall, flooding and strong winds to parts of the region.
A National Weather Service post-storm report found that Hilary produced rainfall rates of approximately one-half to one inch per hour in many locations, with isolated rates even higher.
The Sheriff's Department post does not say whether Hilary was the event officials intended to reference, so Whittier 360 News Network cannot say definitively that this was what LASD meant.
Regardless of the mislabeled storm, most of the department's preparedness recommendations are consistent with standard flood and storm safety guidance.
What residents should actually do
Based on the current forecast, most Whittier residents do not need to prepare as though a hurricane is going to strike the city.
Instead, preparations should match the hazards actually forecast.
Residents should clear gutters and drainage areas before Saturday night and make sure leaves, trash or outdoor objects cannot block water from draining away from their property.
People whose homes have flooded previously or who live in low-lying locations should consider obtaining sandbags before the rain begins.
Drivers should expect roads to become unusually slick when rain first begins. The National Weather Service specifically warns that oils have accumulated on area roads during the long dry period. Expect auto accidents as cars slip and slide on area roads and freeways.
If a thunderstorm produces heavy rain, residents should avoid flooded streets and never drive around barricades or through moving water.
Phones and backup batteries should be charged, particularly for residents who depend on their phones for weather warnings or emergency notifications.
The most likely scenario for Whittier remains considerably less severe than some of the early computer-model projections surrounding Marie.
At present, Sunday looks like a humid, cloudy day with periods of rain and a small chance of thunderstorms, followed by warmer and generally drier weather beginning Monday.
The possibility of a localized downpour remains the main inland weather concern, and residents should continue monitoring National Weather Service forecasts because the exact location and intensity of tropical showers can change as the event approaches
Learn More
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard — Area Forecast Discussion, 9:47 a.m. PDT, September 4, 2026. �
Read the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard forecast discussion�
National Weather Service
National Hurricane Center — Hurricane Marie Public Advisory No. 14, 8 a.m. PDT, September 4, 2026. �
Read the latest Hurricane Marie advisory�
National Hurricane Center
City of Whittier — Rain Expected This Weekend: Sandbags Available Friday to Sunday. �
City of Whittier sandbag information�
City of Whittier
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department — Storm preparedness guidance posted to the department's social media account, September 2026.
NOAA Climate.gov — El Niño and La Niña: Frequently Asked Questions. �
NOAA explanation of El Niño�
NOAA Climate.gov
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard — Post Tropical Cyclone Report for Tropical Storm Hilary, August 2023. �
Read the NWS report on Tropical Storm Hilary�
weather.gov
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