Gusty winds will buffet the San Gorgonio Pass and the Coachella Valley Monday and cause potentially dangerous driving conditions, meteorologists said.
The winds blowing to the west and southwest prompted the National Weather Service to issue a wind advisory that will last until 11 p.m. Monday evening for those two areas.
The wind advisory signifies that sustained winds of at least 35 mph are expected, according to the NWS. Powerful winds could whip up sand and dust and create potentially hazardous driving conditions, especially for high-profile vehicles.
Wind speeds Monday are expected to range from 15 to 30 mph with gusts of 50 mph possible along desert slopes and in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, forecasters said.
A low-pressure system will also bring a chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout Riverside County.
Scattered showers are possible throughout the day in the Riverside metropolitan area, the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning and the Coachella Valley while heavier showers are expected in the Riverside County mountains, forecasters said.
Rainfall totals Monday could reach one-tenth of an inch in the Riverside metropolitan area, a half-inch in the county mountains, a quarter-inch in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning and less than one-tenth of an inch in the Coachella Valley, according to the NWS.
There is a 50 percent chance of rain in the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning.
Thunderstorms will be possible throughout the county until this evening and the rain will leave the region by late Tuesday morning, NWS meteorologist Miguel Miller said.
High temperatures will be 62 to 68 degrees in the Riverside metropolitan area, 51 to 61 in the mountains, 72 to 77 in the San Gorgonio Pass and 79 to 84 in the Coachella Valley.