RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Rain showers are forecast across the Inland Empire for the approaching Halloween weekend, though the precipitation is not expected to be intense.
The National Weather Service said Monday that a lowering jet stream will drag moisture from a system currently in the Pacific Northwest into the region by Friday, with rainfall beginning in earnest sometime Friday night or Saturday morning and continuing periodically into Sunday night.
"The chance for measurable rainfall will increase each day, with chances for greater amounts increasing during the weekend," the NWS said in a statement. "For Saturday morning through Sunday night, the chance of 1 inch or more of rainfall for the coast to the mountains is greater than 40%."
The largest amount of precipitation is anticipated at higher elevations.
No flood watches or wind warnings had been posted as of Monday.
Forecasters do not expect remnants of Tropical Storm "Vance" to affect Southern California. The National Hurricane Center said Monday the storm was tracking just south of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and was expected to make landfall near Mazatlan on Friday before weakening and turning toward southwestern Texas. The storm currently has sustained winds exceeding 50 mph.
Temperatures in the inland region will drop 10 to 15 degrees below normal by Friday with the arrival of the storm system, remaining unseasonably cooler until early next week.
In the Riverside metropolitan area, the daytime highs Monday to Thursday will peak in the mid to upper 70s, followed by overnight lows in the upper 50s. The temperature range Friday to Sunday will be upper 60s to mid 50s.
For the Coachella Valley, temps will reach the mid to upper 80s Monday to Thursday, with nighttime temps in the mid 60s. Friday to Sunday, the mercury will peak in the mid 70s, followed by low 60s at night.
In the Temecula Valley, the temperature band will be a close approximation of the Riverside area's for the entire week.
Dry weather and more seasonable temps will return early next week, meteorologists said.
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