March Comes In Like A Lion In Banning: Rain, Hail, Wind, What's Next?

BANNING, CA — Banning started the week with a wind advisory through much of Monday on the heels of a rainy Sunday. A weekend weather system moved in, bringing with it periods of heavy rain and even a brief hail storm Sunday across Riverside County. The chilly system dropped snow levels to 3,500 feet in the Riverside County mountain communities Monday, and more weather is forecast later this week.

A windblown dust advisory was in effect until noon on Monday, with 40 mph winds expected from Indio to Banning, the South Coast Air Quality Management District said.

"Gusty winds are causing blowing dust with particle pollution levels in the good to hazardous Air Quality Index categories in parts of the Coachella Valley," the SCAQMD announced.
Though the strongest winds peaked Sunday, the public was advised to limit exposure by remaining indoors with windows and doors closed and avoiding vigorous physical activity.

According to the National Weather Service meteorologists, an unsettled weather pattern will follow a brief drying-out period on Tuesday. Rain, wind, and mountain snow will return Wednesday through Friday, with more rain slated to fall early to mid-next week, they said.

"There is still uncertainty in the timing. A few members bring precipitation in as early as Sunday night, though most have something closer to Monday morning or afternoon. There is considerable spread in precipitation amounts with this system, but overall looks like it will result in more beneficial rain and mountain snow," according to the NWS discussion.

According to reports, about a tenth of an inch of rain fell in Temecula, Murrieta, and Lake Elsinore on Sunday. Beaumont and metropolitan Riverside, Banning, Hemet, Jurupa Valley, and other areas saw over a quarter inch of rainfall. At the same time, portions of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Coachella, and Desert Hot Springs received only a smattering of the wet stuff.

Some IE towns saw thunderstorms Sunday evening, and snow levels plummeted to 3,500 to 4,000 feet by Monday morning.

A winter weather advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. Monday for the Inland Empire mountains. A wind advisory was in effect until 10 p.m. Monday in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, including the cities of Desert Hot Springs and Banning.

The NWS said that West winds will strengthen late Sunday afternoon and evening, gusting as high as 60 mph over the mountains, into the deserts, and below the passes through Monday evening.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a windblown dust advisory in the Coachella Valley effective until noon Monday.

This week is expected to bring cooler daytime temperatures to the county, with highs in downtown Riverside staying in the lower 60s and dropping to about 55 on Thursday.

Palm Springs reached a high of 73 on Sunday. It is expected to drop to 68 on Monday before rising into the mid to upper 70s on Tuesday and Wednesday and dropping to 62 on Thursday.

Sunday's highs reached 63 in the downtown Riverside area, 60 in Temecula and Hemet, 75 in the Coachella Valley and 73 in Palm Springs, according to the NWS.

In Banning, this week's NWS forecast is as follows:

• Tuesday High: 65 °F Mostly Sunny
• Tuesday Night Low: 47 °F Partly Cloudy
• Wednesday High: 61 °F Rain Likely
• Wednesday Night Low: 41 °F Rain
• Thursday High: 47 °F Showers and Breezy
• Thursday Night Low: 37 °F Showers Likely

Detailed Forecast

Monday
Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 56. West wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Monday night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday
Rain likely, mainly after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night
Rain. Low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday
Showers. High near 47. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday Night
Showers likely, mainly before 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Friday
A slight chance of showers before 10am. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 55.

Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 40.

Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 65.

Saturday Night
Clear, with a low around 45.

Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 68.