Hurricane Hilary: Flights, baseball, events, camping cancelled

An Alaska Airlines jet flying by the downtown Los Angeles skyline against a backdrop of snow-dusted mountains

Published Aug. 18, 2023 Updated Aug. 19, 2023 2 PM PT

As Hurricane Hilary barrels toward the Southwestern United States and Mexico, it is already disrupting plans for travelers, baseball fans and concertgoers.

Passengers with flights into or out of airports in the region that’s bracing to be soaked by the storm should check with their airlines about potential flight delays or cancellations, said Jonathan Heller, spokesman for San Diego International Airport.

“We’re just battening down the hatches,” he said.

Marlene Arrona , spokesperson for the Long Beach Airport, said Friday afternoon that there were no anticipated flight cancellations there yet, but that officials were preparing the indoor-outdoor airport for possibly severe weather.

“We want to make sure operations continue, business as usual,” Arrona said.

Flights through Southern and Central California

United Airlines has posted a travel alert that flights might be affected Sunday and Monday to and from all Southern California and some Central California airports — including Los Angeles International, Hollywood Burbank, Bakersfield Municipal, Ontario International, Palm Springs International, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo County Regional, John Wayne and San Diego International — as well as those to and from Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico.

These flights can be rescheduled, with change fees and fare differences waived, according to United. Waivers will apply to new flights departing between Friday and Aug. 28, in the same cabin and between the same cities as the original reservation.

Allegiant Air is anticipating flight delays, diversions and cancellations on Sunday and Monday for flights to and from LAX, John Wayne and San Diego, according to a travel alert. Passengers can change their travel plans without change or cancellation fees by calling customer service at 702-473-2601.

As of Friday afternoon, only three flights through LAX on Sunday had been canceled, according to tracking company Flight Aware.

“If you have flight plans, I would keep an eye on them,” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said Friday. “And if you’re flexible, I would just wait. I would go ... prior to noon on Saturday or after Tuesday.”

Flights through Baja California Sur, Mexico

Many airlines with trips through Mexico, which is expected to experience the brunt of the storm, have already adjusted travel plans.

Travelers scheduled to fly on American Airlines through Los Cabos on Saturday and Sunday can change their tickets, but the new tickets must be booked by Sunday and be used within one year of the original ticket date. There may be a difference in fares, but change fees can be waived for passengers who meet certain requirements, such as those who purchased their original flights before Aug. 16 and whose new flights make no changes to the origin or destination cities.

JetBlue is waiving change and cancellation fees as well as fare differences for customers who booked flights on or before Aug. 17 for travel through Los Cabos between this Friday and Sunday. For flights that have already been canceled, customers may receive a refund.

Southwest has reported that schedules may be affected Friday through Sunday for flights to and from Los Cabos, and said passengers may rebook their tickets for no additional charge. The airline said passengers may also travel on standby between the original two cities within two weeks of their original travel dates. Refunds are available for customers whose flights were canceled.

In anticipation of the storm, Alaska Airlines is allowing passengers to change or cancel flights through Los Cabos or Loreto International Airport in the state of Baja California Sur. Tickets must have been purchased on or before Aug. 17 for travel dates between this Friday and Sunday. New flights must be rescheduled for travel through Aug. 25. Even customers who purchased a nonrefundable ticket are eligible to change or cancel flights without fees.

Delta Airlines flights through Los Cabos that were purchased on or before Friday can be rebooked, with any fare difference waived for travel on or before Aug. 23. Change fees will be waived for travel after that day, but fare differences may apply. Customers may also cancel their reservation and apply the cost of the ticket toward a new ticket for one year after the original date of purchase.

Baseball games

Several area baseball games scheduled for Sunday have been moved to become split doubleheaders on Saturday, according to a Major League Baseball news release. Tickets for Sunday’s games will now be good for Saturday’s early afternoon games.

The Dodgers are now scheduled to play the Miami Marlins at noon and 6:10 p.m. Saturday.

The Angels will play the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:07 p.m. and 6:07 p.m. Saturday.

The San Diego Padres’ home games against the Arizona Diamondbacks will be at 12:10 p.m. and 5:40 p.m. Saturday.

Soccer matches

Major League Soccer is postponing games that were scheduled for Sunday night at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson and BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

The LA Galaxy was to host Real Salt Lake at 7:30 p.m. in Carson, but the Utah team said Friday it would not be making the trip. That game will be made up on Oct. 14.

LAFC was scheduled to play the Colorado Rapids in downtown L.A., also at 7:30, but that game was postponed as well. It will now be played Aug. 23.

National parks

Death Valley National Park is closing its campgrounds from noon Saturday through Tuesday, and visitor centers will be closed Sunday through Tuesday. The park, infamous for deadly extreme heat this time of year, is expected to be at risk of flash floods through Aug. 25.

“Death Valley in particular has been highlighted as a place that is likely to experience potentially terrain-altering flash flooding during this event,” said UCLA climate Scientist Daniel Swain. “This will likely be considerably worse than the extreme flooding we’ve seen in Death Valley in recent years. ... A lot of the roads probably won’t be there anymore.”

Much of Joshua Tree National Park will also be closed this weekend. Queen Valley Road, Bighorn Pass Complex and Lost Horse Road closed Friday, and a full park closure is expected Saturday, according to the park’s website.

Campgrounds will be closed beginning Saturday, with park rangers aiming to reopen them at noon Tuesday. No backpacking will be permitted until Tuesday.

Other cancellations

• The Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America, which have both been striking for weeks, announced they would cancel picketing planned for Monday.

• KCRW’s Summer Nights show at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes , which was originally scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed, the public radio station announced Friday morning. The event will now take place on Sept. 10.

• The town of Yucca Valley has moved its Yucca Valley Color Fun Run from to Aug. 26 “to prioritize the safety and enjoyment of all participants,” officials announced Friday.

• The Hollywood Reservoir’s grounds will be closed beginning Saturday, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said.

“Starting today and continuing through tomorrow, our crews are conducting storm preparations at facilities we expect to incur impacts, including the Hollywood Reservoir. The reservoir will remain closed until an assessment is made that the pathway is clear and safe for public access,” DWP officials said in a statement Friday.

The agency added that during the storm, residents should stay away from any downed power lines, keep cellphones and battery packs charged, and make sure they have flashlights and extra batteries on hand.

• A drum circle that the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors had scheduled for Sunday in Marina del Rey is also canceled.

• The Pacific Surfliner, Amtrak’s popular coastline route, will cancel its 761 and 794 trains between Los Angeles and San Diego from Saturday night through Monday morning, the railway announced Friday.