Chuckwalla Mountains, Chiriaco Summit and Salton Sea are the focus of a weather alert for strong thunderstorms issued at 5:22 p.m. on Saturday by the National Weather Service. The alert is in effect until 6 p.m.

The storms are forecast to bring wind gusts of up to 40 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches).

“At 5:22 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm 7 miles northeast of North Shore, or 9 miles southwest of Chiriaco Summit. This thunderstorm was nearly stationary,” according to the NWS Phoenix AZ . “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.”

The alert is for North Shore, Bombay Beach and Imperial Hot Mineral Springs. This includes the following highways: CA Interstate 10 between mile markers 81 a

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