Summer Shake-Up: Windy, Cooler Weather to Kick off the Solstice

Happy Friday! We welcome the start of Summer solstice later this evening at 7:42pm PDT. We remain very warm this afternoon--but temperatures will be a few degrees cooler, with a more noticeable drop in temps this weekend.

I'm watching hot, dry and gusty conditions this afternoon through Saturday night. Gusty westerly winds will increase later today and linger through Saturday, especially in the afternoons and evenings, we could see gusts as high as 40-50mph.

Because of the opportunity for windblown dust, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued an Air Quality Alert for the Coachella Valley until 8am Sunday.

There is a Wind Advisory for the San Gorgonio Pass--where our strongest winds will be--in effect until 11pm Saturday. We could see gusts as high as 50-60mph possible.

Our gusty winds and cooler-than-normal temperatures are all courtesy of our shifting air masses, as our ridge of high pressure the last few days continues to weaken as it shifts off to the east.

This weekend an upper level low off the coast of British Columbia will drive south into the Great Basin--tightening our pressure gradient and dropping highs about 5 degrees below average locally.

Sunday will see a brief shift to offshore flow, bringing slightly warmer temperatures and an uptick in northeasterly winds during the morning. However, a secondary low moving in by Monday will continue to reinforce our overall cooler weather pattern, keeping temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below normal through Tuesday.

Looking into the extended forecast, a gradual warming is returning mid to late next week as the upper-level trough lifts north, allowing temperatures to climb slightly above normal.