Weekend storm could bring half an inch of rain to Palm Springs, more in mountains and pass

Anyone planning go Easter egg hunting around the Coachella Valley on Sunday may want to carry an umbrella.

The "atmospheric river" poised to make landfall in Southern California on Saturday is currently expected to bring around a quarter to a half inch of rain to the Coachella Valley, according to the National Weather Service.

However, far stronger impacts will be felt to the west in the San Jacinto Mountains, which forecasters say could receive anywhere from one to three inches from the storm.

Meteorologist Mark Moede said the atmospheric river — which he described as “a conveyor belt of atmospheric moisture that comes in off of the Pacific which can produce incredible amounts of rain — will begin to bring rain to the Coachella Valley on Saturday. The bulk of the showers and thunderstorms will then occur on Sunday, with some rain possibly also falling on Monday.

Within the valley, the biggest rain totals are expected to be seen on the north side, particularly around the San Gorgonio Pass, with three quarters of an inch expected around Whitewater. The pass itself, meanwhile, is looking at much larger totals with as much as an inch and a half of rain possible in Banning and Beaumont.

Rainfall totals are expected to be lighter south and east of the pass, with between a quarter and half an inch expected in Palm Springs over the three days.

The Idyllwild and Pine Cove areas in the mountains, meanwhile, are currently looking at a whopping two to three inches, Moede said.

However, he cautioned that with the storm’s arrival still days away, the forecast is relatively preliminary and expected rainfall totals could change by the time the storm arrives.

“This is such a powerful storm that these amounts could be changing,” he said. “So we advise everyone to keep up to date with the latest weather forecast as the system evolves.”

The timing of the storm will likely put a little damper on Easter Sunday activities, such as outdoor egg hunts, and could also impact travel across the region, with most areas to the west of the Coachella Valley expected to see their heaviest rain on Saturday.

The valley has gotten less rain than usual over about the past six months, but if this weekend brings as much as expected, it could bring us closer to normal. In the period since Oct. 1, Palm Springs has received about three inches of rain, less than the usual 3.85 inches. Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 is what meteorologists call a "water year," a measurement used because of natural hydrologic patterns.

That lower-than-normal total is confined to the deserts, with much of the rest of Southern California having received above average rainfall.

By Tuesday, the showers are expected to have ended with the high temperature to return to about 80 degrees.

Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.