Chill Coachella

The stories of the epic heat are legend in the desert, often exaggerated from a mere 110 to an awesome 120 – in the shade, especially during Coachella Fest, the annual Music Festival that brings 85k music fans to the Valley this weekend alone. However, the stories this year will be about record cold. A storm blew into the Valley yesterday, the opening day of week one of the Festival, and it's darned cold, as well as wet, in the desert.

Last weekend, I walked the dogs while wearing my shorts and a t-shirt; last night, for one of the few times all winter, I turned on the heat rather than shivering my way to dawn buried under a pile of winter blankets. The rain is freezing cold and brought several inches of snow to the surrounding mountain ranges since yesterday morning, driven by fierce winds that whip the wind chill into the freezing range. This morning, at 7 AM, temps were in the low middle 40s.

Coachella patrons, refusing to believe the advance weather reports that forecast really, really cold weather/rain throughout the weekend, arrived in bathing suits, flip flops and sunglasses. On-scene reporters kept asking the exhuberant Festival fans where their cold-weather clothes were, but got laughs in return. “It’s Coachella, man! It’s all about the music.”

I hope the compassionate fans who came prepared for the rain and cold winds shared their warm-ups last night with the die-hard fans who have to be cold to the bone. It may warm up today to the low 70s, but rain is in the forecast again for tonight and tomorrow, the final day of this week's Coachella. But who knows: could be in the 90s for the second Coachella next weekend.

UPDATE: It was in the 70s Saturday, the low 80s Sunday, so Coachella I was a huge success. Predictions for this weekend's Coachella II: in the 90s and low triple digits. Let the good times roll again!