Palm Springs Briefly Cools Before Weekend Warm-Up: Gusty Winds and 90s Ahead

Palm Springs Briefly Cools Before Weekend Warm-Up: Gusty Winds and 90s Ahead

Well, hey there, Coachella Valley—happy Thursday! Today’s high in Palm Springs hits a sweltering 111°F, continuing a trend of above-average temperatures for this time of year. While it’s still hotter than the seasonal norm of 104°F, today actually marks a slight cool-down compared to the consistent one-teens we've been dealing with all week. We’ll take the win—however small.

That ridge of high pressure we’ve been talking about has shifted. Yesterday, it was parked right over Southern California, keeping us hot and dry. Today, the center of the system has moved to our east, taking the worst of the heat with it. As it continues to move out of the region, it’s pushing even hotter air toward areas further east.

Looking ahead to the weekend, the big story is cooler temperatures—relatively speaking. A high of 99°F is possible, and while that may not sound like much of a break, in the desert, dropping below triple digits is newsworthy. Even a brief return to the 90s would be a welcome change for residents and visitors alike.

That dip in temperatures is thanks in part to a tropical low-pressure system approaching from the north. It's bringing in onshore gusty winds and slightly cooler air, along with a chance of rain just east of the valley. These shifting patterns will help keep temperatures a bit more manageable into early next week.

According to the Comfort Air 7-day forecast, Friday will warm back up to 108°F before we dip below average starting Saturday. So get ready for a little relief, but don’t stash the sunscreen and water bottles just yet—we're not done with summer heat.