Steady rain showers are expected Thursday throughout Riverside County and snow could fall in the mountains, potentially making driving difficult in the San Gorgonio Pass.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning that will be in effect until 6 a.m. Friday in the Riverside County and San Bernardino County mountains.
Snow levels will drop to around 3,000 feet by Thursday afternoon and Idyllwild is expected to get up to 21 inches of snow, forecasters said.
Heavy snowfall could affect travel and cause tree branches to fall. NWS officials advised that travelers driving in the mountains should keep an extra flashlight, food and water in the vehicle in case of an emergency.
The low pressure system moving to the east could drop up to 1.1 inches of rain in the Coachella Valley, six-tenths of an inch of rain in the Riverside metropolitan area, nine-tenths of an inch in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning and up to 2 inches of rain in Idyllwild.
The NWS issued an urban and small stream flood advisory that will be in effect until 7:15 a.m. Thursday in the southwest portion of Riverside County, including Temecula.
A wind advisory will be in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday in the Riverside metropolitan area.
Winds generated by the unstable storm are expected to be between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts reaching 45 mph.
Rain showers will begin decreasing late Thursday afternoon and conditions are expected to dry up by Friday morning.
High temperatures Thursday could reach 50 degrees in Riverside, 42 in Banning, 49 in Hemet, 48 in Temecula, 54 in the Coachella Valley and 33 in Idyllwild.
Another storm is on track to reach Riverside County on Monday and it could bring light precipitation along with it, forecasters said.