Air Quality Alert In Effect Across Coachella Valley

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA — Santa Ana winds have returned to the Inland Empire, and the National Weather Service is predicting gusts up to 60 mph in some wind-prone locations Wednesday and Thursday.

The agency posted a wind advisory for much of Riverside County beginning at 6 a.m. Wednesday and continuing to 2 p.m. Thursday.

While the desert is not under the advisory, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued an air quality alert across the Coachella Valley for the same time period due to increased particle pollution from blowing dust.

"Winds will work south into the Inland Empire and Orange County through Wednesday morning," according to the NWS. "The (northeast) winds will become strong and gusty ... (with) the strongest gusts of 50 to locally 60 mph, most likely Wednesday night in wind-prone canyons and passes."

The previous Santa Ana wind event spanned three days, beginning Halloween weekend and concluding early last week. Conditions contributed to the rapid spread of a blaze north of Aguanga that consumed nearly 2,500 acres and damaged or destroyed more than a dozen structures, including three homes.

According to surface prognostication charts published by the NWS, a surface trough of low pressure sliding into the region from the north will be the source of the latest event.

Forecasters said low relative humidity will increase wildfire risks again throughout the region.

The low will spin eastward by Thursday afternoon.

The NWS said high temperatures in the Riverside metropolitan area will be in the mid-70s Wednesday and Thursday, with lows in the upper 40s.

In the Coachella Valley, highs will be in the upper 70s, with lows in the low 50s, while in the Temecula Valley, highs will hover in the low 70s, with overnight temps in the mid-40s.

—City News Service and Patch Editor Toni McAllister contributed to this report.