Cooler, Wet Weather on Tap For Palm Desert Until Wednesday, NWS Says

Occasional showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected Monday and Tuesday as gusty winds blow through Riverside County, including the Coachella Valley, forecasters said.

The rain was brought on by upper low pressure and is expected to stick around through Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. The low pressure system also will generate gusty winds in the mountains and deserts through late tonight, the weather service reported.

In Palm Desert, the weather service predicted the following forecast:

• Monday late afternoon: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Monday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. West wind 15 to 20 mph becoming east 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.
• Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the morning.
• Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. West wind 10 to 15 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

By Wednesday, the weather service says we'll be seeing "mostly sunny" skies, with high back around 85 degrees, and calm winds.

Gusts in the Coachella Valley reached 54 mph at Sky Valley and at Whitewater overnight, the NWS reported.

A NWS wind advisory is in effect  until 3 a.m. Tuesday in the Coachella Valley and the mountains of Riverside County.

During the advisory periods, west winds of up to 25 mph gusting to 45 mph are expected. The strongest winds are expected near mountain ridge tops, along desert slopes and in adjacent desert areas.

The winds should decrease some this morning, but pick up again this afternoon and evening, then gradually decrease overnight, according to the NWS.

Forecasters said blowing dust and sand could reduce visibility. The winds also may make driving difficult, especially for motorists with high profile vehicles, according to NWS forecaster.

– City News Service contributed to this report.