Wind Advisory Issued As Storm Approaches Lake Elsinore

SOUTHWEST RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A fast-moving storm will bring a chance of rain and snow in Riverside County Thursday before exiting early Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

The cold front moving down the coast is expected to bring a drop in temperatures, gusty winds out of the west, a chance of rain throughout the county and a chance of snow in the mountains, forecasters said.

The NWS issued a wind advisory for the Riverside County mountains and the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, warning that winds between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts reaching 55 mph, are expected from 7 p.m. Thursday through 4 a.m. Friday.

The best chance of rain in the Coachella Valley will come late Thursday evening, but the area is expected to get far less than one-tenth of an inch.

Rainfall totals in the Riverside metropolitan area could reach a quarter-inch, while a half-inch of rain is expected in Idyllwild and the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning.

The rain is expected to start falling Thursday evening, then linger overnight before the storm system leaves by Friday afternoon, forecasters said.

The chance of measurable precipitation Thursday is 70% in the Riverside metropolitan area, 60% in the mountains, 50% in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning and 20% in the Coachella Valley.
Snow levels will drop to roughly 5,000 feet Thursday evening and remain around there Friday morning.

High temperatures Thursday could reach 62 degrees in Riverside, 69 in Banning, 60 in Hemet, 55 in Temecula, 68 in the Coachella Valley and 50 in Idyllwild.

—City News Service contributed to this report.