Coachella Valley to see sunshine, cooler temps after rainy weekend; tram still closed

Coachella Valley residents can put away their raincoats and umbrellas for the foreseeable future because the sunshine is back to dry the puddles from the past few days, although temperatures will be cooler than usual.

Sunny, dry weather is expected the rest of the week, just in time for the start of the American Express PGA golf tournament in La Quinta on Thursday. The Coachella Valley will see highs in the low- to mid-60s, with Saturday being the warmest day with a high temperature in the middle-60s.

The typical high for the Palm Springs area this time of year is around 71 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The record high temperature ever recorded on Jan. 17 was 89 degrees in 2011, while the lowest was 28 degrees in 1964.

Over the past few days, a series of atmospheric river storms that have lingered over California continued to bring rain, snow and wind to the area. Between Jan. 14 and Tuesday, Indio Hills and Thermal saw around 0.1 inches of rain, while 0.8 inches were recorded at Palm Springs International Airport, according to the National Weather Service in San Diego. Areas closer to the San Gorgonio pass had variable rainfall totals between 1 to 3 inches.

A flood advisory has been issued until 8 p.m. Tuesday for the Coachella Valley due to water that will be draining into the Whitewater watershed from the San Bernardino mountains. Locations that will experience flooding include southern Indio, northern Palm Springs, Coachella, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Thermal, Whitewater, La Quinta and Mecca.

Brian Adams, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, said the gloomy weather "did push the Coachella Valley back toward a normal amount of rainfall for the water year so far." With all that rain, drivers may have noticed vivid green colors along the mountains on Interstate 10. Adams said the rain, along with warmer weather, will "definitely enhance" the growth of wildflowers and other foliage, although locals likely won't see a superbloom this year.

There was also at least 1 to 2 feet of accumulated snow on Mount San Jacinto, depending on the elevation, based on Saturday and Sunday snowfall numbers. Those hoping to explore the winter wonderland by tram will have to wait because the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is still not operating following technical issues this weekend, according to Public Relations Manager Madison Morgan. She added that a maintenance team is still trying to troubleshoot the problem, and an estimated reopening date/time is not available.

The National Weather Service is actively monitoring the potential for landslides, especially around mountain areas. Adams said much of the ground is "still very saturated and very unstable compared to normal," and a slight shift in weight or an additional passing shower could lead to mud and landslide concerns.

A rock slide snarled traffic Monday on Highway 74 between Mountain Center and Hemet.

After the wet weather passed, the Coachella Valley was hit with gusty winds, ranging from 35 mph around Cathedral City to upwards of 45 mph to 55 mph in Palm Desert and Thermal.

"We do see enhanced winds coming off the mountains with a lot of events like this, but for them to be that gusty all the way down the valley, it's a pretty notable event," Adams said.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Sun, cool temps expected this week; Palm Springs Aerial Tramway remains closed