The Least Windy Areas of Palm Springs

Palm Springs is a popular vacation and real estate destination, renowned for its captivating surroundings, classic architecture, and fantastic weather. It’s the weather that we’ll be covering here. Sunny most of the time, Palm Springs has long had a reputation as a mild and sunny spot to while away the winter months. But now that Palm Springs has transformed into a year-round community, more are having to deal with the intensity of the warmer months. One particular feature of Palm Springs weather is the wind, which grows in intensity once the weather starts to warm up in the spring. As the bare earth of the Coachella Valley warms under the beating midday sun, the surface air begins to rise, sucking in air from the surrounding area. Funnelled in by the mountain ranges, this air can take on some speed, making its presence known in the form of whipping dust and lost parasols. So where are the best places to locate yourself if you want to avoid the wind? Well, read on to find out which areas in Palm Springs are the least windy. Araby South of Palm Canyon Drive, between Baron Road and Southridge Drive, the paired communities of Araby Commons and Araby Cove are two prestigious residential neighborhoods. Tucked away at the base of the San Jacinto mountains, and well south of the Coachella Valley corridor, these homes remain sheltered from the strongest winds. Araby Cove has the larger and more unique set of homes, built into the mountain slopes with well-enclosed yards and in-ground pools. These are some of the best properties for taking in views of the valley on one of the many clear days that Palm Springs enjoys. Smoke Tree Ranch Just west of Araby is the distinctive neighborhood of Smoke Tree Ranch. This area consists of a limited number of large, detached homes placed in a more pristine desert setting. Here hedges are preferred over fences, and desert shrubs over manicured lawns. You might have to deal with a little more dust here, due to the surrounding natural desert zones, but the location is still firmly within Palm Springs’ “low-wind” zone, and the surrounding buffer areas and mountains to the south provide more than enough protection. This area is also a prime spot for amenities in Palm Springs, with nearby shopping, golfing, transport routes, and hiking trails to the south. Indian Canyons This neighborhood covers an even larger area that Smoke Tree Ranch, in large part due to the 18 hole golf course that winds its way between the beautiful homes. These homes are arrayed in a variety of southern California styles, including mid-century modern, Spanish villa, and traditional adobe-inspired designs. Wedged firmly into the canyon formed by the surrounding mountains, this area enjoys amazing views of the San Jacinto peaks, as well as protection from the prevailing winds to the north. An affluent community with excellent attractions, just a stone’s throw from Downtown Palm Springs, Indian Canyons is not to be missed. Mesa - Cahuilla Hills Mesa and Cahuilla Hills are two neighborhoods just south of Downtown Palm Springs and west of Palm Canyon Drive. The northern boundary of these two communities is marked by the popular Moorten Botanical Garden, north of which is the bend where South Palm Canyon Drive becomes East Palm Canyon Drive. This area has excellent restaurants, as well as the nearby Indian Canyons golf courses. Being right up against the western San Jacinto Mountains, Mesa and Cahuilla Hills are well-sheltered from the wind, while the higher-up homes offer excellent views of the area. Windy Areas in Palm Springs The strongest winds around Palm Springs tend to follow Interstate 10 down the valley. The further north you get in Palm Springs, the winder it gets. As such, as long as you stay south of Alejo Road and the airport, you’ll find significantly reduced levels of windiness. Moving east, as the valley narrows, it becomes harder to find areas protected from the wind, although anything south of Route 111 will probably do.