Tropical Storm Rachel could bring coastal flooding, rain and wind gusts to the Beverly Hills area starting Sunday, Oct. 11. If the storm makes landfall, it would be the first tropical storm to do so in California since 1939, according to AccuWeather.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Los Angeles/Oxnard office has issued a coastal flood advisory through 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, covering Los Angeles County beaches, the Malibu coast and nearby islands. The agency warned that minor to moderate coastal flooding is expected, with isolated significant flooding possible on Sunday when extreme tides, large waves and strong winds could peak together.

"It looks like Sunday is probably going to be the worst of it in terms of the combination of everything: surf, tides, winds, even rain," Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard office, told Patch.

As of 2 a.m. PDT Thursday, Oct. 8, Rachel had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph and was located about 895 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California, according to the National Hurricane Center's Advisory 45. The storm is expected to turn northeast and accelerate while continuing to weaken.

Forecasters are increasingly confident Rachel's center will stay south of Los Angeles County. Lewis said the most likely rainfall totals for LA County range from a quarter-inch to three-quarters of an inch, with higher amounts possible in the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains.

There is roughly a 10 percent chance of thunderstorms.

NWS meteorologist Ryan Kittell told the Los Angeles Times there is a 70% to 90% chance rain will fall between Saturday and Tuesday in LA and Ventura counties. He said Sunday is expected to be the windiest day, with gusts of 20 to 35 mph.

An El Niño-fueled Kelvin wave is also raising sea levels along the Southern California shoreline by 6 to 12 inches, compounding the flood threat, the Times reported. South-facing beaches from Malibu to Ventura and the Long Beach Peninsula face the highest risk.

Beverly Hills residents got a preview of these conditions in September. During Hurricane Marie's Labor Day weekend impact, Beverly Hills was among the Westside communities that saw minor flooding of lots, parks and roads, according to the Times.

The NWS coastal flood advisory warns that high tides of 7.0 to 7.6 feet are expected each morning through Tuesday. Seawater could flood beach parking lots, bike paths and harbor walkways. Moderate to significant beach erosion is likely.

The storm will also end the region's October heat wave. Temperatures that reached 95 to 105 degrees Thursday are expected to fall into the 70s by Sunday or Monday, according to the NWS.

Lewis cautioned against comparing Rachel to Tropical Storm Hilary, which brought historic rainfall in August 2023. Hilary was officially downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone before its center reached the United States, according to AccuWeather.

The NWS urges residents to stay out of the ocean, avoid flooded roads and steer clear of rock jetties during elevated surf. The National Hurricane Center and the NWS Los Angeles office publish updated forecasts and warnings online.