Hot & Muggy Monday with Monsoon Storms Possible Late Week

After a stretch of intense heat, some subtle but welcome changes are on the way for the Coachella Valley.
Staying hot and a bit muggy to kick off the work week Monday. Dewpoints will likely remain elevated the next few days.

High pressure over the region is beginning to break down, and by mid to late week, we’ll start to feel the effects — with temperatures dipping just slightly below seasonal averages. Expect Tuesday and Wednesday to still be warm, but not quite as scorching as recent days. Gusty afternoon winds are expected to pick up a bit, especially in typical wind-prone areas like the San Gorgonio Pass.

By Thursday, a weak upper-level low drifting north from Baja will begin ushering in monsoonal moisture. That means increasing humidity and a chance of isolated afternoon thunderstorms, especially over the mountains of Riverside and San Bernadino County. Best opportunity for storm activity arrives Friday, when deeper moisture and weak mid-level winds could allow storms to linger in place. Those storms could fire up lightning, brief and heavy downpours and hail.

Rain chances remain low on the Coachella Valley floor, but cloud cover and added humidity will definitely be noticeable.

Heading into the weekend, that low pressure system starts to shift east, drawing moisture out of the region. This movement will lead to a decrease in our opportunity for by Sunday, along with a slow warming trend and drier conditions to start next week.

While it won’t be a dramatic cool-down, the break from extreme heat is certainly a step in the right direction. We're just swapping it out for muggy conditions. Enjoy it, temps start climbing again by early next week.