Winds Increase, Temps Decrease Heading into Saturday

A trough of low pressure is moving into the Pacific Northwest later tonight, which will stir up some changes in our weather over the weekend. While most of the rain and drizzle will stay west of the mountains, a few light showers could sneak into those areas tonight through Sunday. Don’t expect much—any rain that does fall will be very light, mostly around the San Diego coast, valleys, and nearby mountains.

Here in the Coachella Valley, the big story will be the wind. Starting Saturday afternoon and continuing into the night, expect strong southwest to west winds, especially in the northern parts of the valley near the San Gorgonio Pass. Gusts could hit 45 to 55 mph, with isolated spots possibly seeing up to 70 mph. Winds will stick around Sunday too, though they should ease up slightly, with gusts topping out around 40 to 50 mph.

Cooler temps and cloudier skies will dominate the weekend, but that won't last long. High pressure builds in early next week, bringing dry, sunny weather and a rapid warm-up starting Monday. By midweek, many areas—especially the warmer spots—will be pushing past the 100-degree mark.