Coachella Valley Crews Prepare for Incoming Rain as Cities Urge Caution on the Roads

With rain expected to hit the Coachella Valley tonight and continue into tomorrow, local cities are urging drivers to use caution and prepare for changing road conditions.

NBC Palm Springs’ Tiani Jadulang joined the Palm Desert Public Works team, who say their crews have been preparing since earlier this week to keep roads safe and clear.

“We’ve been preparing our equipment by fueling up all of our heavy equipment as well as our generators and making sure our pumps are ready to go,” said the deputy director of public works for Palm Desert. “We’re ready to respond at any time. We check the entire city, especially the areas that are more prone to flooding.”

Teams have been sweeping streets, cleaning drains, and removing debris since Wednesday. Crews remain on standby to monitor conditions and respond to flooding throughout the storm.

Several Coachella Valley cities, including Palm Desert, Coachella, La Quinta, Thousand Palms, and Desert Hot Springs, are offering residents unfilled sandbags to help protect homes and businesses from possible flooding. Sandbags are available at Fire Station 35 in Thousand Palms, Fire Station 27 in Desert Hot Springs, Coachella Public Works, and the La Quinta Public Works Department at 78-106 Francis.

Officials are reminding drivers to slow down, increase following distance, and avoid driving through standing water. Even six inches of moving water can knock an adult off their feet.

Crews will continue cleanup efforts after the storm, clearing debris and keeping drains open to prevent future flooding.

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