Tracking strong, gusty conditions and air quality in the valley

Cooler temperatures are being driven by strong, gusty winds in the Coachella Valley today.

A Wind Advisory is in effect until noon. We expect to see wind gusts upwards of 50 mph during this time, with impacts to air quality, visibility, and road conditions.

After a relatively calm morning, the winds have picked up. Air quality has deteriorated, especially towards the east end of the valley. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued another Windblown Dust Advisory for the Coachella Valley, in effect until Saturday afternoon (3:00 p.m.). To check the air quality wherever you are, you can visit AirNow's website.

FutureTrack is still showing wind gusts around 20-30 mph for most valley cities this afternoon. Wind-prone areas like Desert Hot Springs and Thousand Palms are expected to have gusts near 40 mph. By this afternoon, the winds are expected to shift northerly and will weaken into the weekend.

Conditions are also very dry across the valley, with dew point temperatures are dipping into the single digits. Our friends in San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire are seeing critical fire weather because of the dry conditions and strong winds.

Our high temperature today is nearly 10° below average as the winds cool things down. Highs will remain below average through the weekend, although with gradually warmer temperatures day-by-day. Temperatures are expected to rise above average through next week.