A low-pressure system will sweep Southern California this weekend, bringing scattered storms to coastal areas and potentially dangerous dust storms to the Coachella area, where thousands of festival-goers will gather for the first weekend of the unknown extravaganza.
Light rain is expected in the LA County area from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning, while heavy rain is expected north of Point Conception in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County, according to the National Weather Service.
“Then, the second hit of this storm will be Saturday night, and that’s when the entire region will see periods of rain and the chance of thunderstorms,” said meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld. “With those storms, we were seeing dangers like strong winds, [and the] the possibility of damaging wind storms in the area.”
That rain and gusty winds could also bring small hail and the chance of flooding or a small tornado, according to the weather service. Rain totals of half an inch to 1.5 inches are expected in the mountain and mountain areas, and there is a chance of snow at elevations above 6,000 feet.
The storm system is currently not expected to affect the return of Artemis II, which is scheduled to make landfall in San Diego at 5:07 pm on Friday. Strong winds, poor visibility and high water currents could all interfere with the collision’s performance, but NASA did not share concerns about the timing or safety of the crew’s return.
High winds are expected in the Coachella Valley region on Friday, with an air quality advisory in effect until 3am Saturday due to hazardous levels of particulate pollution in windblown dust. The warning covers the cities of Indio, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, La Quinta and Coachella, and the highest levels of particulate matter are expected in the northwest Coachella Valley.
“Particulate pollution can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems such as asthma attacks, symptoms of heart and lung disease, and an increased risk of lung infections,” the weather service warned Thursday. People are urged to keep windows and doors closed, turn on air conditioners and air purifiers, and avoid bringing in more air pollution with fireplaces or fireplaces.
While rainfall levels are generally forecast to be low in desert areas during this storm system, there is a chance for showers in the Coachella Valley on Sunday.
Those flocking to the festival should also know that temperatures across Southern California are expected to be five to 10 degrees below normal on Saturday, and about six to 15 degrees below normal on Sunday. Monday will be slightly warmer but cooler than normal, according to the weather service.
The good news is that the coming rain will push back the start of this year’s peak fire season, easing some concerns following a record-breaking heat wave.
“If we had been dry from that very hot March all the way through the summer, that could have put us into the fire season early,” Schoenfeld said.
Southern California may experience more frequent storms this fall and winter when a strong El Niño system is expected to be in full effect. This so-called super El Nino, caused by the warming circulation of water near the equatorial Pacific, may be the strongest of the century to affect Southern California.
In the South, strong El Niños increase the likelihood of wet winters filling up water and reducing the frequency of wildfires but can also lead to flooding, debris flows and coastal erosion. But the exact results are unpredictable.
During a strong El Niño cycle in 1997-98, severe storms caused flooding and debris flows across the country. However, when a large El Niño was predicted in 2015-16, California’s annual rainfall totals ended up being close to average.
It is unlikely that the weekend’s rain will be a direct product of the El Niño cycle, which forecasts predict will occur from May to July, Schoenfeld said. But it could certainly be a precursor to the wet, cold and windy weather the region may see much of this fall.
Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.
