Rain, Wind To Hit Palm Desert On Election Day: Expected Rainfall Total

PALM DESERT, CA —Though a full lunar eclipse is predicted over Palm Desert Tuesday night, it's unlikely anyone will get to see it. A winter storm will bring wet weather to Riverside County and much of Southern California starting late Monday, the National Weather Service reported. The storm brings with it rain, mountain snow and gusty winds, all expected to hang around through at least Tuesday night, possibly into Wednesday morning.

Tuesday is expected to be the wettest day of the storm, according to the National Weather Service and Accuweather.com. Showers are predicted to lighten on Wednesday, though they'll still be intermittent.

In Southwest Riverside County, Temecula, Murrieta and Lake Elsinore all expect nearly 1 inch of rain Tuesday, with wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour expected throughout the storm.

Flash flood watches are in effect from 4 a.m. through 10 p.m. Tuesday in the Lake Elsinore foothill areas, especially in the Bond and Silverado Fire burn scar areas.

Another flash flood watch is in effect for Banning and Beaumont, in the Apple/El Dorado burn scar areas from 4 a.m. Tuesday until 7 a.m. Wednesday morning.

"Heavy rainfall looks to impact the burn scars starting early Tuesday morning and lasting through Tuesday night, with the heaviest rainfall occurring Tuesday afternoon and early evening," the National Weather Service said.

Wind gusts as high as 30 mph are predicted during Tuesday's showers in downtown Riverside and up to 20 mph in Hemet.

Beaumont and Banning residents prepared for over an inch of rain, and temperatures below 60 degrees much of Tuesday.

In the mountains, snow is expected above 8,000 feet Monday and Tuesday, with the snow level dropping to 5,500 feet Wednesday. Will Idyllwild and Pine Cove get snow? At just over 5,400 feet above sea level, some snow is possible in this coming storm.

Forecasters said lower elevations could get 2 to 6 inches of snow, ranging up to possibly 3 feet in areas above 8,000 feet elevation. A winter storm watch will be in effect for Riverside County mountains from Monday evening through Wednesday afternoon.

Sunny skies will return Thursday, but the weather will continue to be chilly. Temperatures will range from the high 50s to the mid 60s during the day and stay in the 40s at night.

Meanwhile, desert areas, such as Palm Desert, would see clouds and cooler temperatures, with under .3 inches of rain. Gusting winds of up to 25 miles per hour was expected in the desert.

According to the NWS, Coachella Valley and Palm Springs will be the warmer areas of the county and the least affected by the storm. Those areas will likely experience showers until Tuesday night.

Wind gusts of up to 35 mph are predicted for Coachella Valley and 20 mph for Palm Springs on Tuesday.

Temperatures for Coachella Valley and Palm Springs will be in the high 60s to mid 70s during the day, with lows in the 40s and 50s.