It will be dry and mostly sunny over much of Riverside County this weekend as a storm that dumped nearly three inches of rain in some areas moves out of the region, but rainfall is expected to return next week, according to the National Weather Service.
Showers were expected to return to Riverside County by midweek, lasting through New Year’s Day, according to the National Weather Service.
“A low pressure system from the southwest could bring a return of precipitation for Wednesday through next Saturday,” the NWS said.
A slight chance of showers is expected in the downtown Riverside, Hemet, Coachella and Palm Springs areas starting Tuesday night, with Temecula expected to have a chance of showers beginning Wednesday.
On-and-off rainfall was expected to last through at least next weekend, according to the NWS.
“Preliminary estimates are for totals of 1 inch to 1.5 inches in the coastal areas and valleys, 1 inch to 3 inches in the mountains, 0.3 inches to 0.6 inches in the high deserts and 0.15 inches to 0.30 inches in the low deserts,” forecasters said.
The snow level was expected to remain above 8,000 feet through Friday before lowering to about 6,500 feet next Saturday.
The atmospheric river storm that drenched much of Southern California earlier this week dropped 2.99 inches of rain on Mount San Jacinto, 2.80 inches at Snow Creek Trail-Idyllwild, 2.68 at the Temescal Fire Station and 1.73 inches at Morongo Valley.
At the height of the storm on Christmas Eve, the California Highway Patrol recorded numerous minor to moderate traffic accidents due to the rainstorm. A U.S. Postal Service vehicle overturned on wet streets in El Cerrito, but the mail carrier escaped with minor injuries.
Forecasters said the region is also in store for a moderate to strong Santa Ana windstorm, beginning sometime late Sunday and lasting until Monday as a ridge of high pressure builds over the Great Basin of Nevada and Utah.
“Given the recent rainfall, there’s not as high of a fire concern, but the potential for strong wind gusts through and below mountain passes is worth noting,” according to the NWS.
Temperatures were expected to be in the mid-60s on New Year’s Day in the Riverside metropolitan area, Hemet, Temecula, Coachella and Palm Springs.