Winds develop to start the week ahead of New Year’s rain chances

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Breezy weather is developing throughout Southern California as offshore flow increases tonight through Tuesday, all ahead of another potential round of rainfall for the end of the year.

Winds continue to increase through tonight and especially into Monday. More windy spots, like Desert Hot Springs and the Banning Pass, will likely see gusts near 40 MPH by Monday morning.

A Wind Advisory in place for Desert Hot Springs and the Banning Pass Sunday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon. Gusts in those areas are expected to reach ~45 MPH, and locally as strong as 60 MPH. Notably, this does not include the valley floor. Our winds will likely be on the milder side; models indicate wind gusts less than 25 MPH. Still, we could see air quality impacts and travel impacts, especially for high-profile vehicles heading in and out of the valley.

We're also monitoring another round of rainfall. Models now show showers entering the mix as early as Wednesday and into Thursday, with sporadic chances lasting all the way into next weekend. We'll update you as these models are refined and timing/rainfall estimates become clearer.

Highs stay rather seasonal all week long. The offshore wind pattern will usher in drier and warmer conditions, which should help us warm through the low 70s for the early parts of the week. As the low that's inviting the rain moves in, our temperatures are likely to start dropping again Wednesday and Thursday, with highs in the 60s to kick off 2026.

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