Cooler Temps and Rain Likely By Midweek

Cooler temperatures and showers are in store for the Coachella Valley later this week, forecasters said today.

A low pressure system off the California coast is expected to move
slowly toward the east and southeast this week, bringing showers and a slight
chance of thunderstorms to Southern California late Wednesday night through
early Thursday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters said general rainfall amounts will be up to half an inch but
thunderstorms could produce heavy rainfall and small hail in some areas. The
snow level will likely drop to 6,500 to 7,000 feet Thursday evening, low enough to dust local mountains.

Daytime highs are expected to be 15 to 20 degrees below average, both in
the inland valleys and in the mountains.

"This is a sharp contrast to early last week when high temperatures
were 10 to 15 degrees above average and locally 20 degrees above average,''
according to an NWS advisory.