Rain coming to Coachella Valley: Holiday travel concerns, white Christmas in mountains?

Coachella Valley residents could see rain next week, potentially impacting holiday travel plans.

The Coachella Valley is expected to see highs in the upper 70s Saturday to Monday and mid 70s on Tuesday, National Weather Service Meteorologist Brian Adams said. But he said the weather will cool down afterward with a “wet period” from Wednesday to possibly early Saturday due to a storm system coming in from the Pacific Ocean. Thursday has the highest chance for rain at 50% to 60%.

Early estimates for rainfall totals are an average of a half-inch to an inch of rain throughout the valley, though it's still too early to know for certain.

“There is definitely potential for there to be some notable precipitation that falls with this system … the middle to latter portions of next week,” Adams said.

People with last-minute holiday travel plans may be in luck. Adams said Southern California should dry out Saturday, Sunday and Christmas Day.

“Those immediate travel plans for the holidays may not be as impacted, but anything basically the middle to latter portions of next week will be a little bit interesting, so to say,” he said.

Snow also could fall in the San Jacinto Mountains.

Adams said there could be accumulating snow anywhere above 7,000 feet. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway goes up to the Mountain Station at an elevation of 8,516 feet, according to the tram’s website.

Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City. Reach her at ani.gasparyan@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs area to see rain before Christmas Day, snow in mountains