A storm system slated to swing across California later this week will generate springtime showers throughout the Inland Empire, though more intense weather may arrive, depending on how much energy the system gathers and which direction it goes, according to the National Weather Service.
The agency said Monday that forecast models were continuing to sort out the timing and depth of the low pressure troughs tracking inbound from the sea, likely to reach Southern California Thursday night.
“The (first) low will progress westwards into Wednesday, opening up and moving into California as it phases with another trough dropping south through the Pacific Northwest,” the NWS said in a statement. “There is still some uncertainty with the evolution of the pattern. The track of this low has big implications on virtually every aspect of the forecast — temperatures, snow levels, precipitation amounts, thunderstorm chances and wind.”
The likelihood of at least scattered light rain was relatively high for Friday and part of Saturday.
“If the low moves closer to us, expect cooler weather, higher precipitation amounts and stronger onshore flow,” the NWS stated.
There’s currently a 70% chance of rain in the Riverside metropolitan area Friday.
The Weather Service’s forecast models were expected to crystallize as the week progresses.
From Monday to Thursday, partly to mostly cloudy conditions were predicted in western Riverside County, with light drizzle in some spots under marine layers that will typically burn off by early afternoon. Sunny and clear conditions were forecast for the Coachella Valley during the same period.
Though Monday’s highs in Riverside metro will top out near 80, the daytime peaks will slide for the rest of the week, going from the low 70s to the low 60s by Friday. Overnight temps will generally fall into the low 50s.
In the Coachella Valley, highs will remain in the low 90s Monday and Tuesday, then start a modest decline, hovering in the low 70s by Friday. Lows will range from the mid 50s to low 60s.
The temperature band in the Temecula Valley will be similar to Riverside’s, except nighttime temps are expected to drop into the mid 40s all week, according to the Weather Service.