Bundle Up! Forecast Calls for Frigid Temps on New Year's Eve in Murrieta

MURRIETA, CA— Wintry weather and frost were expected Wednesday morning in parts of Riverside County, including the Coachella Valley.

A National Weather Service frost advisory for the valleys around Riverside, the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning expired at 8 a.m., but patchy frost was expected until 10 a.m. Early morning temperatures were forecast to be 27 to 35 degrees.

“Clear skies and light winds this morning will once again allow temperatures to fall to near the freezing mark or below across portions of the inland valleys and lower deserts,” according to the weather service.

Although the mornings will still be chilly this week, forecasters said a slow warming trend would begin Wednesday. However, temperatures are not expected to get a whole lot higher than the average for this time of year.

As for Thursday, New Year’s Eve, get ready to bundle up if you are headed outdoors to celebrate ringing in 2016. The NWS forecast calls for the following in Murrieta:

• Today: Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 60. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning.
• Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 63. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
• Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. Southwest wind around 10 mph becoming northwest in the evening.
• New Year’s Day: Sunny, with a high near 62. Northwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Highs Friday through Sunday are forecast to be in the mid-40s to low 50s in the mountains, in the upper 50s to mid-60s in the valleys around Riverside and along the San Gorgonio Pass, and in the 60s in the Coachella Valley.

— City News Service contributed to this report. Image via Shutterstock.