Thunderstorms May Roll Into Riverside County This Weekend

An upper level trough that will move across Southern California Friday night may cause thunderstorms with dry lightning over the Riverside County mountains on Saturday, followed by high pressure bringing higher than average temperatures in much of the area and the Coachella Valley next week, forecasters said.

The weak subtropical disturbance is forecast to move into the local area on Saturday and may cause isolated lightning and gusty winds of up to 35 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service. However, the moisture will be too limited for any considerable threat of heavy rain.

Forecasters pegged the chance of thunderstorms at 15 to 25 percent in the mountains and high deserts Saturday and estimated the storm's intensity would be weak to moderate.

The weather service reported that the large area of high pressure expected to bring hot weather would build next week, and high temperatures would be 5 to 10 degrees above average Wednesday through Friday in the deserts, mountains and valleys.

Starting Wednesday, highs in the inland valleys are forecast to be from 90 to 105 degrees, 85 to 95 degrees in the mountains and up to 115 in the Coachella Valley, according to the NWS.

Forecasters said the hot weather may trigger heat exhaustion and heat stroke in some people. 

– City News Service.