Coachella Valley could see first rainfall in months this weekend. Here’s the forecast

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Coachella Valley could see first rainfall in months this weekend. Here’s the forecast

The Coachella Valley could have its first rainfall in several months over the weekend and early next week, as a storm system forecasted to bring much-needed precipitation to

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is likely to move to the desert.

Palm Springs is expected to see between 0.25 and 0.30 inches of rain in total, while other parts of the valley could see precipitation levels ranging from 0.10 inches to a half inch, according to the National Weather Service.

Rain in the valley could begin Saturday night, with initial chances between 40% and 60%, and the likelihood is expected to increase Sunday, with the system potentially lingering in the valley through Monday.

After a dry summer and fall, the Coachella Valley could see its first measurable rain of the year this weekend. Here, a woman walks her dog during a 2020 shower in Palm Springs.

The temperatures will also be relatively chilly in the valley over the weekend, with overnight lows forecasted in the low 40s and highs expected to reach the low 60s.

The surrounding mountain areas, particularly at elevations over 4,000 feet, could also see some snow, potentially a few inches at lower elevations and as much as a foot at Mount San Jacinto’s peak.

The storm system is also forecasted to bring some relief to the Los Angeles area, where several wildfires are ongoing amid dry and windy conditions. The system is expected to move through L.A. on Saturday before its arrival in the desert.

“It’s going to kind of sit here (in the valley), and we’ll feel its presence for a few days,” said Dave Munyan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s San Diego office. “So that’s why some of the precipitation timing is stretched out from like Saturday night through maybe Monday.”

“It’s possible that rain rates will be fairly low for any given hour, but over time, it could accumulate to maybe three-tenths to maybe even higher in some spots when all is said and done,” Munyan added.

Valley has only seen a few drops of rain since last spring

The precipitation in this weekend’s forecast would mark the first rainfall in Palm Springs since Sept. 20, when 0.08 inches of rain was recorded at the city’s airport, according to National Weather Service data.

That trace of rain was the only precipitation recorded at the Palm Springs airport from April 2024 through this week. (The city had a few rainy days in March 2024.)

Munyan noted the valley saw “plenty of rain” last winter, with about 1.9 inches recorded in Palm Springs just in late January and early February 2024.

He said it’s fairly typical for the valley to get little to no rain from April through July each year, but monsoonal patterns usually emerged after July. Historical averages show Palm Springs typically sees about 2.7 inches of rain from July through January, compared to the 0.08 inches recorded recently over the same *******.

“Anything is going to be appreciated, whether it’s a tenth or a quarter inch, but even a quarter inch would be some pretty beneficial rain right now,” Munyan said. “Any kind of rain we can get is going to help big-time with curbing the fire concerns as of late.”

Tom Coulter is a reporter for The Desert Sun. Reach him at *****@*****.tld.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun:

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