Why is Palm Springs So Windy?

The city of Palm Springs and the surrounding Coachella Valley is located on the east side of two large mountain ranges. These ranges are the Santa Rosa Mountains and the San Jacinto Mountains. In between the two ranges is the San Gorgonio Pass. The pass funnels most of the wind into the Palm Springs and Coachella Valley area.

A low-pressure system caused by the heat of the desert sun attracts wind away from the high-pressure systems in the mountains into the lower ones of Palm Springs and Coachella Valley. This is what brings wind away from the coastal areas and into the inland desert areas.

Parts of Palm Springs are Windier than Others

The areas north of Vista Chino receive the windiest conditions. Areas closer to Interstate 10 will also be windier. This is the reason for so many windmills in northern Palm Springs. Whitewater and North Palm Springs are considered the windiest communities in the valley.

Is There a Season that is Windier in Palm Springs?

Generally, there are significant winds in Palm Springs all year long. The strongest and longest winds however occur during the spring. From April through June the winds seem to kick up even stronger.

Why is spring windier than other seasons? It has to do with a shift in cold weather from winter to much higher desert temperatures moving toward the summer. The shifts in temperature combined with the air from the high-pressure system in the mountains mixing with the high desert temps and the low-pressure system of the spring causes stronger winds.

Live Palm Springs Wind Report

As mentioned above, the northern areas of Palm Springs north of Vista Chino Road tend to have the strongest wind. If finding a less windy location is of importance you will want to look at communities near the base of the mountains or further south.

For the most up-to-date wind information, you can look into the weather statistics and wind history as well as current wind maps at this link:

They also have an app that can be downloaded to your smartphone to access wind conditions at any time.

Which areas of Palm Springs see the least or mildest winds?

There are three areas of Palm Springs that have pretty mild winds they include Araby just south of Palm Canyon Drive, Smoke Tree Ranch which is located just west of Araby, and Indian Canyons close to the base of the surrounding mountains. The Mesa and Cahuilla Hills neighborhoods are also very mild where winds are concerned. These communities are south of downtown.

For more information on available properties in Palm Springs, windy or not, please contact us at any time.