The region’s first significant storm of February is forecast to reach the Inland Empire early next week, though rainfall amounts remain uncertain, according to the National Weather Service.
The agency stated that a system predicted to make landfall in the Pacific Northwest over the weekend will sweep southward into California Monday and Tuesday, with impacts lingering until Thursday.
“A broad troughing pattern is expected to prevail over the west coast next week,” the NWS said in a statement. “This pattern will bring cooler conditions, the return of onshore flow and chances of widespread precipitation. About 30% of global ensemble clusters have the low pressure in position to bring us precipitation on Tuesday, with more guidance showing wetter conditions for Wednesday and Thursday.”
The Weather Service anticipated “mostly light rainfall amounts.”
“There remains quite a bit of uncertainty in the details, especially the timing of precipitation,” the agency stated.
Meteorologists also could not yet estimate how much frozen precipitation may be associated with the system, and at what elevations accumulations are likely.
On Friday, a brief cool-down will occur as a trough races through the region before being displaced by high pressure. In the Riverside metropolitan area, daytime highs will top out in the low 70s, with overnight lows in the upper 40s. For the weekend, clear conditions will accompany highs in the low 80s, with lows in the low 50s. On Monday, a widespread cooling trend will set in, with highs in the mid 60s and lows in the mid 40s.
In the Coachella Valley, Friday’s highs will peak around 80, falling into the mid 50s overnight. Through the weekend, the high-to-low scenario will range from low 80s to upper 50s, and on Monday, the temps will max out in the mid 70s, followed by lows in the low 50s.
The NWS stated the Temecula Valley’s temperature band will be in line with the Riverside area’s over the next few days.