Weather Alert for Strong, Gusty Winds & Blowing Dust Stagecoach Weekend

A powerful spring storm system is moving into California, bringing a much windier and cooler conditions to the Coachella Valley during a busy Stagecoach weekend. 

A First Alert Weather Alert has been issued from 2pm Saturday to 11am Sunday for gusty west winds. A Wind Advisory is also in place for the same timeframe. During that peak timeframe we could see sustained winds 20-35mph and gusts 50-55mph possible.

Ahead of the alert — we're still watching winds increasing later today, but they'll become strongest Saturday night into Sunday.  Stronger gusts are also possible near the passes and mountain slopes.

Blowing dust may reduce visibility at times, especially late Saturday and Sunday, so plan for difficult travel in open desert areas. It's very possible we could see some wash road closures. So we'll keep a close eye on that. 

Less noteworthy, but also important: temperatures will drop well below normal this weekend, with highs dropping into the 70s by Sunday.

A few light showers are possible around the region, mainly west of the mountains, but most of the Coachella Valley should stay on the drier side.

Winds gradually ease early next week as temperatures begin a slow warm-up.