There isn't going to be a hurricane in California this weekend, or next week.
That wouldn't typically be noteworthy — the Golden State is known for its earthquakes and wildfires, not hurricanes. But social media chatter, fueled by coverage in traditional media, has been filled with claims that Tropical Storm Marie might become a hurricane that hits California.
It's not going to happen, National Weather Service meteorologist Chandler Price said late Tuesday, Sept. 1.
"There is no chance that a hurricane is going to directly impact California," he said.
Price said a small number of the many weather models forecasters use had shown Tropical Storm Marie moving north toward southwest California, but they showed only a small chance that it would get close
to the area. Even in scenarios where it did, it was not as a hurricane, he added.
However, moisture from Tropical Storm Marie might impact the state indirectly, by bringing rain.
Price said there is a 20 to 50% chance of "spotty, showery precipitation" in southwest California from Saturday, Sept. 5 to early Monday, Sept. 7. The Coachella Valley specifically has a 20 to 30% chance of rain, with it most likely from Saturday to early Sunday, he added.
"The amount of moisture that gets into the area is going to depend on the track of the current tropical storm. So, the exact details of how much precipitation is going to occur are slightly up in the air," Price said. "At the moment, yes, it looks like it's going to be generally light with perhaps some embedded heavier precipitation if we get a little bit more moisture. But that is low confidence at this moment."
It will also be cooler, with the hottest temperatures expected to be in the high 90s over the weekend — welcome news, given that Palm Springs hit 118 degrees just days ago. The valley will also be more humid than usual, particularly on Sunday, Price said.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Hurricane won't hit California, but Coachella Valley may see rain
