Portions of North Gene Autry Trail, Indian Canyon Drive and East Vista Chino remain closed Thursday, January 1 due to flooding.
As of noon January 1, North Gene Autry Trail will remain closed between East Via Escuela and Salvia Road; North Indian Canyon Drive remains closed between Sunrise Parkway and Garnet Avenue in the wash, and East Vista Chino remains closed between Clubhouse View Drive and Carmela Drive in Palm Springs. The closures were reported between 9:30 pm New Year’s Eve and 12:40 am New Year’s Day.
So, how much rain have we had so far?
Palm Springs rainfall totals
Philip Gonsalves, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, urged drivers to be careful and avoid driving through low water crossings during a conversation about rainfall totals.
He said Palm Springs has recorded about 0.58 inches of rain in the last 12 hours. The city typically receives less than a tenth of an inch on any given day this time of year.
By comparison, the city recorded 0.34 inches of rain on New Year’s Eve and 0.58 inches as of midnight Thursday, with additional rain possible before the day ends.
Meteorologists track rainfall from October 1 to September 30, which captures the region’s full rainy season. In total, since October, Palm Springs has received 2.34 inches of rain, which exceeded the normal 1.11 inches for that period.
Winter storms typically bring limited rainfall to desert areas because the surrounding mountains block much of the moisture — a rain shadow effect. The low pressure system, Gonsalves said, drew deep tropical moisture from further south, with the moisture extending high into the atmosphere, allowing rain to fall even in areas that are normally protected by mountains.
Rain forecast for Palm Springs
Rain is expected to taper off by mid to late Thursday afternoon as the rain moves northeast out of San Diego County. Light and isolated showers may linger overnight, but are expected to be short and scattered.
The added moisture, however, comes with trade-offs.
“Everything comes with advantages and disadvantages, right? From one perspective, it’s a good thing, but it comes with risks,” he said. “And in Southern California, one of the risks is flooding.”
As the rain ushered in the new year across the Coachella Valley, it’s the kind of start that invites a little puddle jumping while it lasts.
“Well, isn’t that true of many things?” Gonsalves said.
People walk along Palm Canyon Drive as rain falls in downtown Palm Springs, California, on December 24, 2025.
(This story has been updated to add information.)
Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on the Palm Springs Desert Sun: What to know about Palm Springs rain totals, forecasts, road closures