A Santa Ana wind burst is forecast across the Inland Empire Friday evening and part of Saturday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue an advisory.
“Northeast winds will occur … Saturday morning, with high-resolution models showing local gusts around 50 mph, with winds decreasing Saturday afternoon,” according to an NWS statement.
A Wind Advisory is in effect from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, with predictions for average wind speeds of 15 to 30 mph regionally. Wind-prone locations, such as the San Gorgonio Pass, will experience the most intense gusts, meteorologists said.
According to the Weather Service, a ridge of high pressure will push through Southern California, trailing the last vestiges of this week’s storms, generating the northeasterly winds.
The advisory warned of blowing dust, falling tree limbs and other objects in roadways.
High pressure systems will influence area weather patterns through the upcoming week, drying out the region after the nearly weeklong series of storms.
Forecasters said the Inland Empire and the rest of Southern California is in store for milder conditions with plenty of sun.
Highs in the Riverside metropolitan area will edge toward 60 degrees on Saturday, with lows in the upper 30s, with little change on Sunday. However, on Monday, the daytime temperature will approach 70, with lows in the low 40s. The mercury will climb marginally over the ensuing days.
In the Coachella Valley, the temperature range will be a little higher, with highs in the mid 60s for the weekend and lows in the low to mid 40s. On Monday, the daytime temp will peak around 70, with lows in the upper 40s. Temps will rise moderately for the remainder of next week.
The temperature band in the Temecula Valley will be virtually identical to Riverside metro for the weekend, but the warm-up next week will be restrained, with highs generally hovering in the mid 60s and lows in the low 40s.