Forecasters Watch Storm Heading Toward So. Calif.

A strong Pacific storm could bring heavy rain and snow to Riverside County this weekend, the National Weather Service announced Monday.

The storm will move inland through California late in the week through early next week, with the main impacts on southwest California occurring Friday night through early Monday, according to the NWS.

The agency projects that rainfall totals from the storm will range from one-to-two inches near the coast to three-to-five inches in the mountains. An inch or less is expected in the deserts, including the Palm Springs area.

The storm also is expected to generate wind gusts of up to 75 mph in the mountains and deserts.

The snow level could drop to between 2,500 and 3000 feet, with several inches of snowfall possible at lower mountain elevations and a few feet at higher elevations, according to the NWS.