Stronger winds, cooler temperatures, and wildfire smoke ahead

Palm Springs barely saw triple-digit heat yesterday, with the high temperature being recorded at 100°. Sunday looks to drop below the triple-digit mark, but if not, Monday will certainly bring much cooler temperatures.

Wildfire smoke remains a concern here in the Coachella Valley. The Smoke Advisory from the South Coast Air Quality Management District remains in effect after being extended again last night. With three fires, including the Line Fire, continuing to burn in Southern California, another extension is likely for today. Our FutureTrack smoke forecast shows more smoke over the valley than yesterday, which will likely affect our air quality.

The winds will be picking up as we head into this evening. Expect wind gusts near 30-35 mph across much of the valley. These winds will stay with us through Monday, and will get even stronger for Monday evening. Some blowing dust and sand is likely during this time, so stay with KESQ for the latest updates on any road closures or air quality alerts.

The strong winds will drastically drop our temperatures for Monday; 86° is roughly 15° below average! We will remain well below average for the remainder of the week, though a warming trend can be expected into next weekend. Although it'll be a bit breezy these next couple of days, enjoy the abnormally cool temperatures while they last.