Storm could dump inch of rain in the Coachella Valley, disrupting Christmas travel
There won’t be any of the snow that Frank Sinatra sang about, but the weather outside is still expected to get frightful in the Coachella Valley later this week just as hordes of holiday travelers are hitting the roads and airports.
That’s because a major rainstorm, while delayed in its arrival, is still expected to drop between half an inch and an inch of rain in the Coachella Valley when it arrives Thursday afternoon or evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Meteorologist Brian Adams said updated projections for the storm call for the rain to continue Friday before ending around midday Saturday, although some showers could continue through Saturday afternoon.
That timeline coincides with what is expected to be the peak of pre-Christmas travel. AAA projects that Saturday will be the busiest pre-Christmas day on the roads while the travel booking website Hopper predicts Thursday and Friday will be the biggest travel days at airports.
The storm’s impact could also be widespread, with virtually all of Southern California expected to see rain or snowfall.
However, the greatest impacts are expected to be in mountain areas, particularly the Mount San Antonio and Cajon Pass areas near the border of San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties where up to six inches of rain are expected.
Closer to the Coachella Valley, as much as three inches of rain are expected in Idyllwild and Big Bear. Snowfall, meanwhile, will likely be limited to high elevation mountain areas above 7,000 feet, where up to a foot of snow could also fall. So if you entered Thursday or Friday in the Palm Springs’ Aerial Tramway’s annual snow guessing contest, then you may be looking at a winner.
Lower elevation areas of between 5,000 and 7,000 feet could also see some snow mixed in with the rain but are unlikely to see any significant accumulation.
During the storm, the Coachella Valley is expected to see highs in the upper 60s and lower 70s, with a drop in the highs into the low 60s expected as the system moves out Sunday. The morning lows are expected to be in the 50s during the storm before possibly dropping into the upper 30s on Sunday.
Although the Coachella Valley will likely see some cloud cover at times prior to Thursday, Adams said it is unlikely to lead to much, if any, precipitation. He did note a few raindrops fell on Palm Springs on Monday.
With the rain expected to stop Saturday, it appears that residents can also look forward to a classic Coachella Valley Christmas Day: the forecast is calling for sunny skies and a high of 65 degrees.
Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Pre-Christmas storm could dump inch of rain in the Coachella Valley
