After several days of scorching weather, the Coachella Valley is expected to get a reprieve from triple-digit heat over the weekend — but enjoy the summer cool-off while it lasts.
Temperatures in the valley are likely to dip starting Saturday, with Palm Springs expected to see a high of 97 degrees, while Indio could reach 99 degrees. Afternoon highs are forecasted to remain in the high 90s until Tuesday, when the region will see a gradual warmup to more seasonal averages.
“It’s going to be a lot cooler (this weekend) than it has been,” said Miguel Miller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego.
The area near the San Gorgonio Pass is likely to get some strong gusts over the next couple days, with a wind advisory in effect for Desert Hot Springs and Banning until 11 p.m. Saturday. Winds are expected to reach 25 to 35 mph, while some gusts could top 50 mph.
The cooler, windy weather comes to the valley after temperatures have soared over 110 degrees in the past week. On Sunday, June 15, Palm Springs hit 117 degrees — just three degrees off from that day’s record, according to Miller.
The weather will return to seasonal normals later next week, with Palm Springs forecasted to see a high of 106 degrees Thursday, June 26.
Looking to the rest of the summer, Miller said the weather service’s long-term forecasts give Palm Springs a roughly 40% chance of having above-average temperatures in July through September.
“The summer is going to do its thing,” Miller said. “We’re probably going to see a few episodes of above-normal temperatures, more than we’ll see below-normal temperatures.”
Several places in the valley, such as some libraries and community centers, act as cooling centers during the hot summer months, offering shelter from the dangerous heat. A list of several open cooling centers is available online at capriverside.org/cool-centers.
More: Beat the heat: Summer things to do with kids indoors in the Coachella Valley
Tom Coulter is a reporter for The Desert Sun. Reach him at tcoulter@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs weather: Area to get brief relief from triple digits
