Palm Desert continues clean-up after weekend thunderstorm

Residents and businesses are cleaning up today after heavy rain and flash flooding were brought into the valley by a thunderstorm. Palm Desert bore the brunt of the rainfall. According to the National Weather Service, 1.34 inches of rain fell in the city. 

A wash near the intersection of Haystack and Heliotrope in Palm Desert was eroded by the storm, and City of Palm Desert cones and barriers are in place to keep people away. Neighbors commented that grass had not been eroded prior to the storm, and a pole in the area appears to be on unstable ground due to the erosion.

The Living Desert Zoo in the south of the city did not experience damage, but some animals had a chance to enjoy the cooler air brought by the rain.

Jared Moeller, an Animal Care Curator with the zoo, said unlike other animals, some giraffes at the zoo refused to take shelter. "When the storm came in, they just kind of hunkered down or stood with their back to the storm, like they would do in the wild, and just sort of weathered it through. And then after the storm rolled in, the whole herd came back out and was enjoying the nice, slightly cooler weather after the storm," he explained.

No animals were harmed from the storm, either. Moeller says the zoo regularly practices severe weather drills, which helps keep them prepared for these events.

Other neighborhoods around Palm Desert, though, saw hail and flash flooding.

Videos sent in from viewers show trashcans being swept away and driveways being washed out due to the heavy rain.

Emily Vogt, whose trash cans were taken by a river of rainwater Sunday afternoon, described how she found her trash cans only after they hit someone's parked car, but didn't damage it. Unfortunately, some of her recycling had been swept away, too.

The City of Palm Desert says despite seeing a lot of water from the downpour, damage has been minimal. They received just one report of a fallen tree and roadways remain open, albeit with some extra dirt and debris washed onto them by the storm.

Some lightning and scattered showers were seen near Palm Desert again today. The chances for pop-up thunderstorms is set to decrease this week as the extra moisture around the Coachella Valley is expected to go away by mid-week.