A low-pressure system is set to sweep across Southern California this weekend, bringing scattered rainstorms to coastal counties and the threat of hazardous dust storms in the Coachella Valley as thousands of festivalgoers arrive for the first weekend of Coachella.
Light rainstorms are expected in the Los Angeles County area from Friday afternoon into Saturday morning, while heavier rainfall is likely north of Point Conception in Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County. The second pulse of the storm is expected Saturday night. Rose Schoenfeld said that is when “pretty much the whole region will see periods of rain with the chance for thunderstorms,” adding that the storms could bring strong winds and locally damaging gusts.
That matters now because the system is arriving right as the desert starts to fill up for the festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, and the weather will touch almost every part of Southern California in some way. Rainfall totals of half an inch to 1.5 inches are expected in the mountain and foothill regions, with a dusting of snow possible above 6,000 feet. Across the region, temperatures on Saturday are expected to run five to 10 degrees below normal, then about six to 15 degrees below normal on Sunday before turning slightly warmer Monday, though still cooler than normal.
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In the Coachella Valley, Friday already brings gusty winds and an air quality alert that runs until 3 a.m. Saturday for Indio, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, La Quinta and Coachella. The highest levels of particulate matter are expected in the northwest Coachella Valley, where windblown dust can aggravate asthma attacks, heart and lung disease symptoms and the risk of lung infections. Residents are being urged to keep windows and doors closed, run air conditioners and air purifiers, and avoid adding more pollution with grilling or fireplaces.
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The tension in the forecast is that the same storm that brings a break from heat also carries enough instability to create new hazards. Along with heavy rain and gusty winds, forecasters say the system could produce small hail and even a waterspout or small tornado, while Rose Schoenfeld warned that if the region had stayed dry after the hottest March and gone straight into summer, it might have been pushed into high fire season much sooner. The chance of showers in the Coachella Valley on Sunday should offer one more wet check on that outlook, and the coming rain is expected to push back the start of this year’s high fire season.
