Winds Gust, Freeze Warning Issued In Parts Of Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Gusty winds are buffeting parts of Riverside County Monday morning and temperatures are expected to plummet Monday evening, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a freeze warning for the area.

A high wind warning will last until noon Monday in the Coachella Valley, the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning and the Riverside County mountains.

Winds out of the west are expected to be between 20 and 40 mph in the Coachella Valley, with gusts reaching up to 55 mph, forecasters said.

Winds in the mountains will be between 30 and 45 mph, with 75 mph gusts possible, and winds in the San Gorgonio Pass will be 25 to 35 mph, with gusts reaching 65 mph.

NWS officials warned that the wind gusts could be strong enough to blow around unsecured objects and knock down tree limbs, potentially causing power outages.

Conditions will also be hazardous for high-profile vehicles traveling on highways through mountain passes, especially Interstate 15 and 10, according to the NWS.

A cold front lingering over Southern California will bring freezing temperatures in the Coachella Valley and the Riverside metropolitan area Monday evening and Tuesday night, forecasters said.

A freeze watch has been issued for both areas, with temperatures potentially dropping as low as 28 degrees.

In Southwest Riverside County, temperatures in some areas are expected to drop to 25 degrees Tuesday night, especially in communities at higher elevations, like La Cresta and El Cariso.

The freeze warning means the cold conditions will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation and could harm outdoor pets and livestock.

High temperatures Monday could reach 58 degrees in Riverside, 61 in the San Gorgonio Pass, 66 in the Coachella Valley, 55 in Temecula and 56 in Hemet.

—City News Service contributed to this report.