West Coast dry; Coachella Valley hot

The U.S. West Coast entered Memorial Day under warmer and drier conditions than much of the rest of the country, according to holiday weather coverage published Monday. The Mirror said its May 25 national roundup showed the Pacific states staying dry through the weekend, with temperatures running 5 to 10 degrees above average. (kesq.com) In the Coachella Valley, KESQ’s local forecast pointed to a hotter version of that pattern. The station said highs would top out in the upper 90s through Memorial Day, putting desert communities close to triple digits even as much of the East dealt with rain and travel disruptions. (kesq.com) ### Why did the West Coast look different from the East this holiday? The Mirror’s May 25 roundup said the West Coast would stay dry while other regions faced thunderstorms and wetter travel conditions. Other national forecasts published over the weekend described a similar split, with the West and parts of the Midwest largely dry and warm while the East and Southeast saw rain. (themirror.com) USA Today said hot and dry weather was likely across most of the West on Memorial Day. AccuWeather said the Pacific Coast and Rockies were expected to remain predominantly dry during the holiday stretch. (kesq.com) ### How hot was the Coachella Valley expected to get? KESQ said on May 21 that highs in the Coachella Valley would remain in the upper 90s for the next few days, pushing the region close to triple digits through Memorial Day weekend. A separate KESQ forecast said temperatures across the desert would stay near seasonal levels overall, but still hover in the upper 90s, with a few communities briefly flirting with 100 degrees. (themirror.com) Patrick Evans of KESQ said highs would “hover just below 100 degrees through Memorial Day.” Katie Boer of KESQ separately described the holiday stretch as “very comfortable by May standards,” with plenty of sunshine. (usatoday.com) ### What was the main local concern besides heat? KESQ said winds would begin building Monday evening in the Coachella Valley. The station said that increase would peak Tuesday and Wednesday and bring cooler temperatures after the holiday. (kesq.com) Smoke and air quality were also part of the local forecast. KESQ said Southern California wildfires had produced smoke around the region, and Patrick Evans said air quality readings in the valley ranged from “Moderate” to “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.” (kesq.com) ### Did the weather affect holiday activity in Palm Springs? Palm Springs businesses reported strong Memorial Day crowds as warm weather held through the weekend. KESQ said on May 24 that visitors packed restaurants, hotels and downtown businesses during one of the Coachella Valley’s busiest tourism weekends before summer heat fully sets in. (kesq.com) AAA was cited by KESQ as expecting more than 44 million people to travel nationwide over the holiday weekend, with California among the states seeing some of the highest totals. (kesq.com) That helped send travelers to resort destinations such as Palm Springs while local temperatures remained pool-friendly but below the extreme heat seen later in the desert summer. ### What comes after Memorial Day? Tuesday and Wednesday are the next key dates in the Coachella Valley forecast. KESQ said winds were expected to peak on those two days, with cooler temperatures following the upper-90s Memorial Day heat. (kesq.com 1) (kesq.com 2)