Cool Week on Tap for Palm Desert, NWS Says

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA - Gusty winds and a slight chance of rain are in the forecast in parts of Riverside County Monday, but the weekend storms that brought widespread precipitation and prompted numerous weather advisories have moved out of the region.

In a 48-hour period ending just after 6 a.m. Monday, the back-to-back weekend weather systems dropped 3 to 4 inches of snow in Idyllwild. Big Bear reported 5 inches, and the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway reported 4 to 6 inches.

According to the National Weather Service, top rainfall amounts recorded in the same period included:

• 1.74 inches in Pine Cove
• 1.38 in., Vista Grande
• 1.20 in., Keenwild
• 1.06 in., Banning Bench and Beaumont
• 1.02 in., Whitewater
• 0.98 in., Tick Ridge
• 0.89 in., Poppet Flat
• 0.86 in., Live Oak Canyon
• 0.83 in., Cabazon
• 0.71 in., Moreno-Clark and Pigeon Pass
• 0.63 in., Potrero Canyon, Riverside and Temecula
• 0.61 in., Hemet
• 0.54 in., Pinyon Pines
• 0.50 in., Murrieta
• 0.43 in., French Valley Airport

Less than half an inch fell in numerous other locales including Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley. The storms moved east out of the region and the skies cleared overnight, but gusty winds are expected to redevelop Monday night.

A wind advisory for the mountains, the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass zone, which includes the cities of Banning and Desert Hot Springs, took effect at 8 a.m. and will run through 6 p.m. West winds of 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts of to 55 are expected in the mountains and along the San Gorgonio Pass, as are winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts to 40 mph in the Coachella Valley.

A similar wind advisory for the valleys around Riverside will extend from 10 p.m. Monday until 2 p.m. Tuesday.

A slight chance of showers is also in the forecast for the mountains Monday afternoon, and tonight in the valleys around Riverside. Forecasters said there would be a 20 percent chance of measurable precipitation.

Calmer weather with below-average temperatures is expected Tuesday through Friday, according to the weather service.

As for Palm Desert, here is the forecast for the rest of the week, courtesy of the National Weather Service:

Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. East wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 48. West wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 65. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 46. West wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 65. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable in the morning.

Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 44.

Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 63.

Thursday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 46.

Friday
Sunny, with a high near 59.

Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 46.

Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 64.

Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 49.

Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 72.

(Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone)

– City News Service contributed to this report.