Palm Springs records record temp, parade rescheduled, weekend forecast

Much of usually sunny Southern California is under a rare blizzard warning ― particularly the mountain areas, including Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead ― through Saturday. The Coachella Valley is expected to see heavy precipitation starting in the early hours of Saturday morning, and the area is bracing for more road closures and possible flooding.

• Read now: Live updates from the storm on Saturday in the Coachella Valley

• Help available: Locations of warming centers across the Coachella Valley

Please visit The Desert Sun for Saturday's updated precipitation totals, road closures, event cancellations and other news of the historic winter storm.

Palm Springs’ homeless residents brace for storm

Unhoused people in Palm Springs are bracing for an atypically cold weekend of wind and rain in the Coachella Valley.

“It was so cold and windy last night, it felt like what trying to sleep through a tsunami would feel like,” said 62-year-old Cheryl Shannon, who lives in her car in Palm Springs. The car’s windows are broken, allowing cold air in at night.

Last year’s annual homeless count identified 222 unsheltered homeless people in Palm Springs, the second-highest number in the county after the city of Riverside. But for the over 200 unsheltered homeless people in Palm Springs, there are currently only 15 overnight shelter beds available.

The city of Palm Springs partnered with Martha’s Village and Kitchen to open the 15 overnight beds starting Jan. 2 at 225 S. El Cielo Road at the former boxing club building, now known as the Palm Springs Access Center. Beds are available starting at 4:30 p.m. daily on a first-come, first-served basis. The overnight shelter is scheduled to close on Feb. 28.

Julian Garza, 54, said he planned on staying at the shelter tonight due to the cold, but hasn’t stayed there consistently since it opened because, “There’s a limited capacity here, and I don’t want to take a space that could go to someone who is elderly.”

But after waking up one morning this week to find his two sleeping bags “crystalized and stiff” with ice, he decided to try to secure a bed space tonight.

Michael Lee May, 60, has slept at the access center most nights since it opened in early January, arriving promptly by 4:15 p.m. to line up for a bed. He said most nights there are more than 20 people in line. He’s not sure where he or others might go once the winter shelter closes at the end of the month.

“It’s really cold right now, and there’s really not a good place to go. I don’t know where I’ll go at the end of the month,” he said.

He’s heard of some people sleeping across the street inside the airport, but is wary to try after hearing that the police will start giving citations. 

Palm Springs is in the process of opening a much larger homeless navigation center on the north side of the city, which will include 80 temporary housing units. That facility, at a 3.64-acre site at 3589 McCarthy Road, is expected to open this year.

― Erin Rode

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to close Saturday

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will be closed on Saturday due to the extreme weather forecast.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the advance decision to close on Saturday when the worst of the storm is expected to hit. We regret this closure, but safety is always our primary concern," said Tramway General Manager Nancy Nichols in a press release Friday.

The tram is expected to reopen on Sunday, but potential tram riders should check www.pstramway.com for updates.

― Erin Rode

FIND Food Bank to hold emergency distribution Saturday in Salton City

With some Salton City residents without power due to this week’s storms, FIND Food Bank will have an emergency distribution Saturday morning at West Shores High School.

FIND Food Bank will have its emergency mobile market from 10 a.m. to noon at the school, located at 2381 Shore Hawk Ave. in Salton City.

― Tom Coulter

Weekend forecast: Saturday will be cold and rainy in the Palm Springs area

The Coachella Valley is set to face a cold and rainy weekend as a wet storm system makes it way across Southern California.

The chances of rain will increase overnight Friday, hitting somewhere between one-quarter and one-half of an inch mid-morning Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Most of the rainfall is likely to be concentrated in the northern and western areas of the valley near Palm Springs, according to meteorologist Elizabeth Schenk.

“We’re in a pretty stormy pattern right now,” Schenk said. “There’s some pretty heavy rain in central California and that system is going to slide southeastward (over the weekend). That’s going to allow a lot of precipitation to pile up quickly.”

Temperatures will drop to 49 degrees early Saturday morning before rising to a high of 55 degrees for the day.

“That is going to be substantially colder than what is normal for this time of year,” Schenk said. She noted that typical daytime highs in February in Palm Springs are around 75 degrees, 20 degrees higher than the highest temperature expected Saturday.

The weekend low for Palm Springs will drop to 38 degrees Saturday night, according to Schenk, roughly 15 degrees lower than typical for February nighttime lows.

The National Weather Service estimates that Idyllwild will receive between 8 and 16 inches of snow in the next 24 hours, mostly falling Friday night and Saturday morning. Schenk said that certain high-elevation areas near Idyllwild could see up to 2 feet of snow over that period.

Most of that snow will accumulate above 5,000 feet in elevation. Elevations as low as 3,500 feet could see snow Saturday night, although Schenk noted that relatively low volumes of snowfall by that time mean that not much is expected to accumulate at those slightly lower elevations.

The rain and cold — or at least how cold the weather feels — is expected to let up by Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. No more rain is expected to fall in the Coachella Valley by Sunday and high temperatures that day are expected to near 60 degrees.

“It will also feel warmer because there there will be fewer winds and that moisture in the air will be less,” Schenk said.

― James B. Cutchin

Opening night of ‘On Your Feet’ at McCallum canceled due to storm transportation issues

The opening night of “On Your Feet” at the McCallum Theatre was canceled on Friday due to storm conditions that impeded the buses and trucks transporting the production company to the venue.

Cast members, sets and costumes were unable to reach the theater for their first performance, which was set to begin at 8 p.m. Friday, according to a statement from the McCallum Theatre.

“The producers are making every effort to bring this production to our audiences,” McCallum Theatre President, CEO and Artistic Director Mitch Gershenfeld said in a statement. “They regret this cancellation and hope to be able to get the show on our stage for one or more of this weekend’s remaining performances.”

Purchased tickets for Friday night’s performance will be refunded within 10 business days from the theater’s box office, McCallum Theatre officials said. Anyone who purchased tickets from non-official sources must seek refunds from their respective points of purchase.

“On Your Feet” is a musical telling the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, who believed in each other and their talents to become an international sensation, according to theater officials. The musical features some of Estefan’s most iconic songs from the past quarter-century, including “Conga,” “Get On Your Feet,” “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” and “Don’t Want To Lose You Now.”

― City News Service

Shelter opened near Salton Sea for residents without power

A shelter was opened in Desert Shores on Thursday for residents without power due to recent outages in the area. The Red Cross and Imperial County Fire Department and Office of Emergency Services are running the shelter at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3251, 50 Desert Shores Drive, in Desert Shores.

The shelter will provide snacks, hydration, and cots, as well as hot showers later this evening. Lunch will be provided from noon to 1 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 6 p.m. 200 bags of ice will also be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis starting at noon.

The Red Cross also established a caseworker hotline for individuals can leave voicemails expressing needs around food, shelter, hydration, medical assistance, and other issues at 858-309-1338. The Imperial County Department of Social Services also has staff present at the shelter location to provide information and referrals to services for those who qualify. More information from the Department of Social Services is available at 760-337-6800.

A wind storm on Tuesday caused 2,500 Imperial Irrigation District customers to lose power. As of Thursday, about 1,150 customers remained without power in the Salton City, Salton Sea Beach, and Desert Shores area, according to IID, which estimates that complete restoration could take between five and 10 days.

― Erin Rode

Coachella Valley visitors surprised by desert winter weather, give reality check on cold

Some Coachella Valley visitors and residents expressed surprise at the chilly desert weather Friday, with lows set to reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit over the weekend.

“This is probably the strangest winter we’ve had yet,” said Mindy Kelley, an Oregon resident who has been wintering in the desert for 25 years.

“The wind gusts we’ve experienced were probably the strongest seen,” Kelley said. “The chill and the winds together aren’t like anything we’ve felt here that I can remember.”

Kelley’s husband Clyde added that this was also the most snow the couple had observed on the mountains ringing the Coachella Valley in 25 years. “I don’t know if that’s accurate as far as measurements go, but that’s what it seems like,” he said.

Despite this, the couple emphasized that they were glad they were in the desert instead of Oregon.

“Our kids in Eugene (Oregon) are walking around in 24 degrees,” Clyde Kelley said. “People really need to appreciate that they’re here and not elsewhere.”

Margot O’Neil, who lives in the desert full time but originally hails from Vermont, echoed the Kelleys’ sentiments about the relatively warm desert weather.

“There’s a difference between a dry cold and a humid cold,” O’Neil said, noting that damp Vermont winters are a world apart from crisp desert winters. One of O’Neil’s friends, a visitor from Utah, added that the Coachella Valley weather felt quite warm compared to what she was used to back home.

― James B. Cutchin

Idyllwild sees at least 12 inches of additional snow Friday morning

Idyllwild recorded between 12 and 13 inches of additional snow as of Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service. That was up more than 7 inches from the last recording, which measured 5 inches of snow roughly 24 hours prior.

Snowfall had also crept to slightly lower elevations in the Idyllwild area as of Friday morning, landing as low as 5,300 feet, about 100 feet lower than the the day prior.

Big Bear, which had a deeper 16 to 24 inches of snowfall at 6,800 feet of elevation as of Friday morning, recorded no significant gains over the last 24 hours, according to the National Weather Service.

― James B. Cutchin

Record temperature recorded in Palm Springs

Parts of Riverside County experienced record low temperatures on Thursday. It was 52 in Palm Springs, breaking the record for the lowest maximum temperature for the day of 53 set in 1944, according to the National Weather Service. The average high temperature for this time of year is 75 degrees. It was 49 in Lake Elsinore, breaking the record of 50 set in 1969. It was 52 in Borrego, breaking the record of 55 set in 2004.

― City News Service

Travel update: Snow closes I-5 through Tejon Pass

For those hoping to travel this weekend, an update on a major Southern California artery: The California Highway Patrol and Caltrans closed I-5 through the Tejon Pass around 4 a.m. Friday because of snow and low visibility. The agencies said Highway 101 was the only viable alternative route.

― Ventura County Star

Light rain overnight in western Coachella Valley

Parts of the Coachella Valley saw light rain overnight Thursday, with most concentrated in the western areas near the San Gorgonio Pass.

Whitewater saw the most rain with 0.2 inches recorded, followed by Cathedral City at a distant second of 0.04 inches and 0.01 inches at the Palm Springs International Airport.

Rainfall was last recorded in the Coachella Valley on Feb. 15. That day, the most rain was recorded at Whitewater, which saw 0.12 inches of rain, and Thermal, which recorded 0.06 inches.

― James B. Cutchin

Two CVUSD schools to remain closed Friday as crews work to restore power lines

Classes will be canceled Friday for a third day in a row at West Shores High School and Seaview Elementary and Middle School after strong winds knocked down 76 power poles around the area earlier this week.

Coachella Valley Unified Superintendent Luis Valentino said Thursday night at a school board meeting that he expects the schools to reopen on Monday, using large generators for power if need be.

Around 2,500 customers were without electrical power in the Salton City and eastern Imperial County area after strong winds from Tuesday’s storm knocked down 76 power poles on a major transmission line, according to Imperial Irrigation District.

There may be some customers who won’t have power for more than a day and complete restoration may take several days, the power provider said in a news release.

Valentino said he was unsure whether the schools would be reconnected to power from the utility provider by Monday.

IID said Wednesday that district engineers and construction crews are re-routing power to the area and installing temporary power poles. But strong winds have decreased visibility and the power provider is still assessing the damage because of the remote location and terrain, IID added.

Energy Manager Jamie Asbury said IID also has asked other utilities for help and expects four additional crews to arrive at the scene by noon Thursday.

“We are working through solutions as diligently as we can as we go through this,” Asbury said, “And we appreciate the patience of our customers as we work under these difficult circumstances.”

There were 35 power poles that went down north of Salton City and 41 that went down south of the city, according to IID.

― Jonathan Horwitz, Ani Gasparyan

Warming centers available in Coachella Valley during storm

As cold and stormy weather rolls into the Coachella Valley this week, several designated "Warm Centers" are available for those who need a place to stay warm and dry. A total of 10 "Warm Centers" are available in the Coachella Valley, according to the Community Action Partnership of Riverside County:

• Coachella Senior Center: 1540 Seventh St., Coachella. Open 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• Desert Hot Springs Library: 14-380 Palm Drive, Desert Hot Springs. Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and on Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Thursdays.

• Indio Senior Center: 45-700 Aladdin St., Indio. Open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Only open to seniors.

• La Quinta Wellness Center: 7840 Ave La Fonda, La Quinta. Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• Palm Desert Community Center: 43-900 San Pablo Ave., Palm Desert. Open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• Palm Desert Library: 73-300 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

• Demuth Community Center: 3601 E. Mesquite Ave., Palm Springs. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center: 480 W. Tramview Road, Palm Springs. Open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• Palm Springs Public Library: 300 S. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

• Art Samson Community Library: 31-189 Robert Road, Thousand Palms. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday.

― Erin Rode

Palm Springs Black History Month Parade rescheduled

The 36th Annual City of Palm Springs Black History Month Parade and Town Fair on Saturday has been rescheduled due to the anticipated rain this weekend.

Instead, the parade will start at 11 a.m. on Sunday at Palm Canyon Drive at Baristo Road and the Town Fair will run from noon to 6 p.m. at the Downtown Park.

― Brian Blueskye

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs records record temp, parade rescheduled, weekend forecast