Tracking nearby thunderstorms and fires ahead of sharp change in weather this week

We are closely monitoring the Line Fire near Highland. So far it has grown to over 17,000 acres. Thankfully, the nearby thunderstorms over the weekend have aided firefighters in their efforts. The data seen in the graphic below are as of 4 PM Sunday from the San Bernardino Airport, a few miles from the fire.

Here on the valley floor, it is slightly less humid than yesterday but still a bit sticky outside. Temperatures are also slightly lower than yesterday.

You may have noticed the smell of smoke in the air tonight. This is undoubtedly from the Line Fire. While winds are expected to stay fairly calm this evening, even a very light breeze of a few miles per hour can be enough to bring some of that smoke into the Coachella Valley. Our FutureTrack is indicating more of that smoke will likely move in through the overnight hours.

A smoke advisory is now in place for the valley through Monday night. However, this could easily change depending on the fire's behavior.

Just like yesterday, we have been tracking thunderstorms across areas just outside of the Coachella Valley. As we look ahead to the workweek, we are tracking a decrease in moisture and a subsequent decrease in thunderstorm potential.

We are tracking some BIG changes this week! Monday and Tuesday will still be hotter than average, but it will become a bit breezy on Tuesday with winds gusting in the 25-30 MPH range. This will sharply lower temperatures for Wednesday. Even stronger winds will occur on Wednesday evening which will drop temperatures even more for the rest of the workweek and the weekend. Thursday will be the coolest day, with a high temperature near 100°F.