Warm Temps & Localized Santa Ana Winds Leading up to the Holidays

Unusually warm with above-normal temperatures for Palm Springs and most of the Coachella Valley this week thanks to high-pressure over Northern Nevada. This keeps temperatures in the region 10-15 degrees above average, with highs climbing to the low 80s today and for most of the week--especially in our Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and Rancho Mirage neighborhoods. Palm Springs will even come close to tying daytime high records between Friday & Sunday.

Our warm temps are amplified by some localized gusty Santa Ana winds, which are mainly being felt in the foothills and passes as of this afternoon, including the Santa Ana and San Bernardino mountains, but spreading out more overnight. Wind gusts could reach up to 50 mph in these areas, with smaller gusts of 30-40 mph in the western valleys and parts of the Inland Empire today and Wednesday.

Our Santa Anas ease up into late week, but temperatures continue above average, potentially up to 20 degrees above normal, especially Wednesday-Friday. This means continued concern for fire weather lingers, especially around Los Angeles.

A slight shift in weather patterns is expected Thursday through Friday, with a deeper marine layer along the coast and lighter winds cooling things off slightly.

By the weekend, a trough will move into the West Coast, which could bring a VERY slight chance of light rain to parts of Southern California, including the Coachella Valley, by Christmas Eve. Right now models suggest any rain will likely be extremely minimal, with only a 10-30% chance for measurable precipitation.

Winter Solstice arrives Saturday for the Northern Hemisphere--our "shortest" day of the year. We'll gradually begin seeing more and more daylight each day after the 21st.

Christmas Day/Hanukkah -- temperatures likely dip a little, but should still remain mild compared to normal December temps. Plus a shift towards more onshore flow will bring a better chance of low clouds and fog along the coast.

While the risk of wildfire remains heightened due to the Santa Ana winds, it should improve some as winds weaken by midweek.