Thunderstorms Bring Power Outages, Strong Winds to Coachella Valley

A fast-moving storm swept through the Coachella Valley Tuesday, bringing rain, lightning, and wind gusts that topped 50 miles per hour in some areas. The system moved in through the Banning Pass and Eastern Inland Empire, spreading thunderstorms across the desert.

Satellite imagery from the National Weather Service showed the valley completely covered in storm clouds. The winds caused impacts across the region, including downed power lines and outages.

One of the hardest-hit areas was Desert Hot Springs, where lightning struck power lines near Dillon Road and Palm Drive. NBC Palm Springs reporter Brett Rosen was live at the scene as Southern California Edison crews worked to restore service.

“You can see the power lines were hit by lightning. Sparks were flying, and crews have been out here since noon,” Rosen reported. SoCal Edison spokesperson Jeff Munford urged residents to stay at least 100 feet away from downed lines, stressing that any fallen wire should always be considered live.

Munford added that Edison has teams available around the clock to respond to outages and restore power as safely and quickly as possible. According to the utility’s website, power restoration in Desert Hot Springs was initially estimated for 5:30 p.m.

As storm activity continues across the region, residents are urged to stay alert to changing conditions and avoid areas with downed lines or other hazards.

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.