SoCal in for a windy, rainy weekend, with possible dust storms at Coachella
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A low-pressure system is set to sweep across Southern California this weekend, bringing scattered rainstorms in coastal counties and possible hazardous dust storms in the Coachella region, where thousands of festival-goers will gather for the first weekend of the eponymous extravaganza.Light rainstorms are expected in the L.A.County area from Friday afternoon into Saturday morning, with heavier rainfall expected north of Point Conception in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County, according to the National Weather Service.“Then, the second pulse of this storm is going to be Saturday night, and that’s where pretty much the whole region will see periods of rain with the chance for thunderstorms,” said weather service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld.
“With those thunderstorms, we could see risks such as strong winds, [and the] potential for some locally damaging wind gusts.”That rain and gusty winds also could bring small hail and the possibility of a waterspout or small tornado, according to the weather service.Rainfall totals of half an inch to 1.5 inches are expected in the mountain and foothill regions, and there is a chance of a dusting of snow in areas above 6,000 feet elevation.
The storm system is currently not expected to affect the return of Artemis II, which is scheduled to splash down off San Diego at 5:07 p.m.Friday.
Strong winds, poor visibility and high surf can all interfere with the viability of a splashdown, but NASA has not shared concerns about the timing or safety of the crew’s return.Gusty winds are expected in the Coachella Valley region Friday, where an air quality alert is in effect until 3 a.m.
Saturday because of harmful levels of particle pollution from windblown dust.The alert includes the cities of Indio, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, La Quinta and Coachella, and the highest levels of particulate matter are expected in the ...