Coldchella: Weather Front Set To Cool Music Festival’s First Weekend With Wind Gusts Near 40 MPH

UPDATED with new wind numbers: Time to trade that tank top for a parka.

While mid-April temperatures average in the mid-to-high 80s in Indio where the fabled Coachella Music & Arts Festival is held, the next few days will be different. As Weekend One of the massive event featuring No Doubt, Lana Del Rey, Tyler the Creator and Doja Cat approaches, a high of 93 degrees on Thursday is forecast to dip, with Sunday maxing out at 74 degrees and the overnight low falling to 52. By the time Tyler, The Creator takes the stage at midnight on Saturday, the temperature is forecast to be 54 degrees.

Coachella veterans will know the winds generally kick up in the evening, but the National Weather Service in San Diego on Tuesday forecast “a moderate to high chance (60-90%) of winds over 30 mph across mountain passes into areas of the deserts.” That’s been updated to a forecast of 25 mph winds by 8 p.m. Saturday with gusts to 38 mph and the potential for higher velocities.

“Gusty winds over the mountains and deserts will occur this weekend as well, peaking Saturday afternoon and evening with peak gusts of 40-55 mph. A second, weaker round will occur Sunday afternoon and evening,” according to the NWS.

The associated wind chill could drop temperatures even further than what’s currently forecast, but NWS does not include that number in its forecast chart for Indio.

There is also a slight chance of rain, though this is in no way a Burning Man situation. Any precipitation should be minor and periodic. Per the NWS: “The exact track of the low will determine how cold, windy and wet we get this weekend. As of right now, accumulations do not look impressive.”