Winter Storm Moves Into Southern California
It didn’t rain on the opening of the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival today, but the fairgrounds won’t remain dry for long.
According to the National Weather Service, a storm will reach the Coachella Valley tonight, with a 70 percent chance of rain at the county fairgrounds in Indio, and a 90 percent chance of the wet stuff in Palm Springs.
A quarter- to an inch of rain is expected for the desert area, with the possibility of flooding in isolated areas.
Rain is expected to continue much of Saturday, with a 60 percent chance of precipitation in Indio.
A low of 48 degrees is expected for tonight, with the mercury falling to as low as 39 degrees on Saturday.
While the rain should stop Sunday, in time for the three-day Presidents’ Day weekend, cold temperatures will remain. Readings were expected to dip as low as 36 degrees on Sunday in Indio and 39 degrees Monday.
People traveling in the mountains over the weekend should be prepared for wintry conditions.
The Coachella Valley will be under a wind advisory from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, with expected sustained winds of 25-35 mph, gusting to 50 mph.
Such high wind speeds could down trees and power lines, and the Weather Service urged caution on all roads, especially for drivers of high-profile vehicles such as big rigs.
