First Alert Weather Alert: Gusty west winds arrive Thursday

A First Alert Weather Alert will be in place Thursday afternoon through Friday morning for gusty west winds that may impact your week.

A trough of low pressure will move down the West Coast Thursday, strengthening onshore flow and resulting in gusty west winds around the mountains and desert.

Both a High Wind Warning and a Wind Advisory will be in effect for parts of the desert beginning at 11:00 a.m. Thursday. Travel will be the most difficult on I-10 through the San Gorgonio Pass, where gusts could exceed 60 MPH. A Windblown Dust Advisory has also been issued for the same timeframe as blowing sand and dust could reduce air quality to 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups' or worse at times.

Wind speeds will strengthen through Thursday afternoon, peaking overnight. Gusts around the Coachella Valley are expected to exceed 30 MPH. Take precautions by closing patio umbrellas and awnings and securing lightweight objects, such as potted plants.

Wet weather will also be a part of this system, though most of the moisture will arrive Friday. There's a slight chance for showers in the Coachella Valley, but any rain that falls would have minimal accumulation Friday afternoon, less than 0.10".

A Winter Storm Warning will be in place over the two days, lingering until later Friday night for elevations above 3,000'. Fresh snow atop our mountains this late in the season is fantastic to see, though it will make travel ahead of the weekend difficult.

At least the timing for this system will depart for the weekend, allowing our temperatures to rebound back into the 70s on Saturday and Sunday.

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You'll stay up-to-date with the latest weather videos. In addition, be able to monitor the changing conditions from wherever you are!