Temperatures To Plummet As Low As Mid-20s In Western Riverside County

WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — As cold, wet conditions prevail Tuesday in western Riverside County, overnight low temperatures for the inland valleys through early Thursday morning were expected to dip even further.

Low temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday nights were expected to plummet to the upper 20s to mid-30s — and into the mid-20s in the coldest locations — according to the National Weather Service.

A freeze warning was in effect from midnight through 8 a.m. Wednesday across western Riverside County, although overnight low temperatures going into Thursday morning were forecast to be colder, according to the NWS.

While light rain fell Tuesday across western Riverside County, precipitation levels were only expected to reach one-tenth inch or less in the valleys, with up to one-half inch on coastal mountain slopes.

"Scattered, mostly light showers will spread inland this morning with the greatest coverage and rainfall amounts today along the coastal slopes of the mountain," the NWS reported. "The showers are expected to end from the northwest during the late afternoon and early evening."

The snow level in local mountains will lower to 3,000 to 4,000 feet by early evening, according to the NWS. Snow was not forecast along the Ortega Highway, west of Lake Elsinore.

Gusty west winds were ongoing across the mountains and deserts, with a high wind warning in effect through 10 p.m. Tuesday for Banning and the Coachella Valley.

The winds were expected to strengthen Tuesday morning with the strongest winds coming mid to late afternoon. Gusts exceeding 100 mph were forecast at Burns Canyon on the east slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains and on desert slopes of San Diego County mountains.

Another cold low-pressure system from the northwest is being watched for this weekend and could hit the region by late Friday, according to the NWS.