Unusual weather for June. Not so much that there were thunderstorms, but that the thunderstorms were in part the result of an unseasonably strong jet embedded in the base of an offshore upper level low.

It's a bit of a stretch, but an argument could be made that these storms were a calling card of an increasingly energetic atmosphere, and a developing El Niño.

Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded a total of 0.02 inch of rain Wednesday. The rainfall increased the water year precipitation total for Los Angeles to 8.95 inches, which is 6.16 inches below normal.

It's not often that a trace of rainfall sets a record, but that was the case at Camarillo Airport and Palmdale, which had not previously recorded precipitation on June 3. The 0.03 inches recorded at Sandberg was also a record. Here's a CNRFC graphic with some 24 hour rainfall totals in Los Angeles County.

Several factors point to an increased probability of El Niño conditions developing over the next few months. Among them, Equatorial Pacific SSTs have increased, and the subsurface heat content is the highest it's been since the El Niño of 2006-07.

But as the short-lived 2006-07 El Niño event demonstrates, an El Niño is more than just warm Pacific equatorial SSTs. Through complex forcing and feedback mechanisms, the atmosphere and oceans have to cooperate on a global scale. Generally speaking the momentum of the atmosphere increases when there is an El Niño, and decreases during a La Nina.

And it looks like the atmospheric momentum may be increasing. Orbits of the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO), a measure of atmospheric momentum, have been shifting upward, in the direction of more energetic values usually associated with an El Niño.

However, an El Niño is not a done deal. The climate system is just leaning in that direction. As climate scientist Klaus Wolter has previously pointed out, in a similar situation in 1973-1975, the climate fell back into a La Niña for another year. But at this point it appears we may be diverging from that analog case. (See June 6 Weathernotes.) We'll see!

Update 06/05/09. Unseasonably strong 110+ kt jet overhead as upper low center moves onshore in Central California. At 7:15 this morning, Intellicast composite radar showed most of the shower activity occurring to the north of Los Angeles, but there has been scattered showers in the Los Angeles area as well, with measurable rain recorded at a number of stations. Here's an archived copy of a NWS Public Information Statement with some preliminary rainfall totals as of 5:00 p.m.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

An unseasonably strong, late season Pacific storm system brought rain to much of California Friday and Saturday, including some areas of Southern California.

Los Angeles basin and valley areas generally recorded a trace of precipitation, but some stations in the Ventura mountains recorded as much as 0.3 inch. Here is an archived copy of a NWS Public Information Statement, with some precipitation totals from around the area.

Heavier rain occurred in Central California. A new rainfall record for May 1 was set in Sacramento, and higher elevations of the Sierra received about a foot of snow. Enhanced southwesterly, sub-tropical flow, and enhanced convection associated with the phase 7 MJO may have contributed to the strength of the system.

SSTs have warmed in the equatorial Pacific, and at least for the moment, orbits of the GWO have shifted to a more ENSO neutral stance. Some longer term ENSO forecasts are now predicting warm ENSO conditions to develop by next Winter.

A warming trend is expected in Southern California over the next several days, with high temperatures in the valleys near 90 by mid-week.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

Compared to last week, GFS and ECMWF runs this week have been much drier in Southern California, with most of the activity focused on the Pacific Northwest. No significant rain is forecast here next week, and both the 6-10 and 8-14 day forecasts project below average precipitation for Southern California.

Recent runs of the GFS show the East Asian jet pumping up a huge, high amplitude ridge in the central Pacific around the dateline, but the resulting downstream trough, jet energy and storm track are forecast to remain above about 40°N.

Model performance has not been the best in recent weeks, and generally suffers during seasonal transitions. However, if the 12z GFS forecast is on the mark, March rainfall for Downtown Los Angeles (USC) would fall well below the 3.14 inch norm. Since normal April rainfall is 0.83 inches, and May only 0.31 inches, beyond March it becomes increasingly unlikely that a big rain event will significantly boost our rainfall total.

Since November 1, Downtown Los Angeles has recorded 8.80 inches of precipitation. This is consistent with the mean November-March precipitation for coastal Southern California during 9 La Niña events from 1948 to the present. (See the composite precipitation map in Weathernotes for October 31, 2008.) The water year total for Los Angeles is now 3.32 inches below normal.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

The precipitation total for Downtown Los Angeles (USC) for February was a little above normal, but not enough to offset January's dry weather. We started out March with a water year rainfall total about 2.4 inches below normal, and as of today we're about 2.73 inches behind.

Tuesday's frontal passages helped a little. Here's a GOES-11 water vapor image from 2:30 in the afternoon, and an Intellicast.com composite radar image from 2:45 p.m. Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded 0.25 inch of rain for the storm, and rainfall totals generally ranged from about 0.25 to 0.50 inch. Here is an archived copy of a NWS Public Information Statement listing some rainfall totals.

It looks like our rain season may not be over. Recent runs of the GFS have been hinting at some rain in the 8-10 day timeframe, with a series of systems following. This is consistent with Ed Berry's Atmospheric Insights post today. In response to increased subtropical westerly wind flow, he suggests the possibility of an extended East Asian jet in the week 2-3 timeframe, with possible western USA impacts. We'll see!

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

The first of a series of upper lows, troughs and shortwaves expected to affect Southern California over the next several days has resulted in widespread rain, with storm totals in excess of 1.0 inch in many areas. Yesterday, new rainfall records were set for the date at Burbank and Lancaster. Many stations have recorded more rain in the past twelve hours than in the entire month of January.

Another Pacific system is working down the coast and is expected to result in periods of rain today, tonight and into Saturday. A break in the action is forecast on Sunday, but some showers are a possibility.

In a situation that has become too familiar this rain season, Sunday evening a trough is forecast to dig down the backside of a ridge along the West Coast. Model forecasts have varied from run to run, but the trough is expected to produce some rain in our area Sunday evening into Monday. A more westward track, over the Pacific, would likely produce more rain, and a more eastward track less.

This generally wetter pattern may continue into the 8-14 day period. The active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO) are supporting a general circulation pattern that is favorable to West Coast troughs. In addition, a major Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event is underway and associated high latitude blocking might eventually result in a southward shift of the storm track over the U.S.

Both the 6-10 day and 8-14 day precipitation outlook from the CPC are indicate the possibility of above average rainfall in Southern California. We'll see!

Update 02/10/09. Here are the updated and corrected storm totals from the NWS for the period 4:00 a.m. Thursday to 4:00 a.m. Sunday. It looks like Wednesday's system should fall apart south of Pt. Conception, but if recent model runs hold true, Southern California is in store for more wet weather. Relatively weak shortwaves are forecast for Friday and Saturday, but these set the stage for more potent systems Sunday and mid-week. We'll see!

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

Weather is by nature chaotic, and not perfectly predictable. From a given starting point, small variations in initial temperature, pressure, moisture, and other factors in the weather system can lead to dramatically different outcomes. In addition, interactions of earth's oceans and terrain with the atmosphere further complicate predictability.

Two periods of rain were recently forecast in Southern California -- one from Wednesday into Saturday, and another from Sunday evening into Tuesday. Model projections varied from day to day and run to run. At one time it looked like the Los Angeles area might get about an inch or rain out of both systems. So what happened?

Considering the first period, Wednesday into Saturday, here are the preliminary rainfall totals from the NWS. Note how much the rainfall varies. In the Los Angeles basin, Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded 0.34 inch, LAX recorded 0.51 inch and Santa Monica recorded 0.76 inch. Locations that benefited from orographic enhancement recorded higher totals. For example. Pacioma Dam recorded 1.11 inch, Warm Springs 1.31 inch, and OPIDS Camp 1.54 inch. Some stations in Santa Barbara and San Luis Opisbo counties received as much as 2-3 inches of rain. A slight change in the position of low to the south on Wednesday and Thursday, or the low to the west on Friday and Saturday could have easily resulted in much more rain.

We're in the middle of the second period now. Instead of an over the ocean path forecast a couple of days ago, the cold trough and upper low that is over the southwest took a drier overland course down the West Coast. Nonetheless, there has been scattered showers in Southern California, and even isolated thunderstorms, lightning and hail. It's not a huge step to speculate the rainfall would have been more widespread if the system had taken a more westward path, and picked up additional moisture.

So what's next? Globally, some interesting things are occurring that could impact our weather over the next few weeks. The MJO and GWO are expected to continue their circuit into phase 3-4. This might open the door to more West Coast troughs, or MJO enhanced rainfall. A Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event appears to be underway and may result in polar air outbreaks that would affect the mid-latitude circulation.

However, in the short term Los Angeles rainfall remains below normal. As of January 25, Downtown Los Angeles (USC) has recorded 5.00 inches of rain this water year, which is 1.38 inches below normal. Last year, the water year total on January 25 was 9.35 inches. The ECMWF and GEFS ensembles suggest the possibility of a strong trough affecting California around February 4th or 5th, but that is a long way out, and we'll have to see!

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

Including today, Los Angeles has enjoyed an unprecedented ten straight January days with highs in the eighties. In the yin yang of weather, the western half of the U.S. has been enjoying unusually warm temps, while the eastern half of the country has shivered.

Since the start of the water year on July 1, Downtown Los Angeles (USC) has recorded 4.66 inches of rain. Just 10 days ago, 4.66 inches was almost exactly normal rainfall for the date. However, as is so often the case in Southern California, this apparent normality was the sum of offsetting wet and dry periods. December's precipitation was generally well above normal, but January has been dry, dry, dry. Today, the Los Angeles rainfall total is about 1.10 inch below normal, and every day it doesn't rain, our deficit increases by about 0.10 inch.

Our warm temperatures and dry weather have been the result of a high amplitude ridge, pushed up over the West Coast by a very strong and extended Pacific jet stream. Big upper level ridges such as this are consistent with La Nina, and have been a recurring theme this Fall and Winter. Much of our rainfall and cold weather this season has occurred when an extended Pacific jet collapses or contracts -- as is occurring now -- and the blocking ridge shifts westward, opening the door to cold storms plunging down the backside of the ridge from the north.

This time there is a wildcard in the mix. One of the reasons the Pacific jet has been extended is the active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) has recently propagated from west to east, across the Pacific. The system that is forecast to affect Southern California Wednesday night into Thursday looks like it might be enhanced by an inflow of moisture from an area of tropical convection that may be associated with the MJO.

How much might it rain? A BUFKIT analysis of 12z NAM data generates 1.3 inches of rain at Van Nuys for the period Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon. The HPC 2 Day forecast is not so bullish, indicating about 0.50 inch to 0.75 inch over the area. We'll see!

Medium range models suggest the weather in the West could remain unsettled into next week and beyond. Of particular interest is this morning's 12z ECMWF forecast for mid-week next week, which projects the retrogression of the West Coast ridge to 150-160°W, with a cold, wet pattern similar to what we saw in December. That would be quite a change!

Update 01/22/09. It seems the NAM and GFS models can't get a handle on the system currently affecting our area. The 12z NAM generates 1.6 inches (!) of rain at Van Nuys and the 12z GFS 1.2 inches at LAX from this morning into Saturday afternoon. On the other hand the 09z SREF Ensembles puts the probability of more than 0.25 inch of rain for the 24 hr. period ending mid-morning Friday at about 50%, and then only about 10-30% for the following 24 hr. period. Upslope enhancement may produce higher totals on south facing foothill and mountain slopes. The GFS continues to advertise the possibility of a significant rain event Monday afternoon into Tuesday or Wednesday, but given recent model performance, we'll wait and see!

Update 01/21/09. The 12z models now extend the rainy period for the first system into Saturday. The 12z NAM generates about 1.0 inch of rain at Van Nuys, beginning Thursday morning and ending Saturday midday. The 12z GFS also produces about 1.0 inch, beginning Wednesday evening and ending Saturday afternoon. The GFS adds another 0.9 inch from Sunday morning to Monday night. Somewhat higher amounts would be expected in some foothill and mountain locations. As always, we'll see!

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

Downtown Los Angeles (USC) happened to be under the right cloud yesterday, and recorded 0.02 inch of rain. There's a continuing chance of showers in Southern California through the weekend. The area could use some rain. The last storm to produce more than a couple tenths of inch of rain at Downtown Los Angeles was back on February 24, 2008 -- more than eight months ago.

Last year, California's rain season might have been scripted by Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Lowland rain totals and the Sierra snowpack were well above normal through the end of February, and then the spigot was turned off. The storm track shifted north, and California had its driest March to May on record. (The March 29, 2008 post in Ed Berry's Atmospheric Insights blog describes the events that may have led to and maintained this shift.)

Which rain season personality will emerge this Winter? Earlier this year the equatorial Pacific tried to transition to El Nino, but the atmosphere didn't cooperate. As measured by the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI), the ENSO state has returned to the weak La Nina threshold. And as measured by the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO), an uncooperative atmosphere has continued to cycle through a La Nina base state.

This suggests a winter precipitation outlook with a La Nina flavor -- similar to last year. This precipitation map, generated by the ESRL-PSD Composite ENSO plots page, shows the mean November-March precipitation for the U.S. during 9 La Niña events from 1948 to the present. The average La Niña rainfall indicated for coastal Southern California is in the 7.0-10.5 inch range. Last season's November-March rainfall in Downtown Los Angeles was about 12 inches.

Here's the current Nov-Dec-Jan precipitation outlook issued October 16 by the Climate Prediction Center. The "EC" means an equal chance of below normal, near normal, or above normal precipitation. The IRI Multi Model Seasonal Forecast for Nov-Dec-Jan is similar. We'll see!

Update 11/4/08. Here are the NWS Public Information Statements with preliminary rainfall totals for the period from Friday evening to Sunday morning, and from overnight last night to 10:00 a.m. this morning. The current Climate Prediction Center 6-10 day and 8-14 Precipitation Outlooks project below normal rainfall for Southern California. In Atmospheric Insights, Ed Berry paints a scenario with an extended North Pacific Jet collapsing into a strong western U.S. trough in the week 2-3 timeframe. We'll see!

Update 11/1/08. Did a trail run this morning in the Pt. Mugu State Park Area. Over the course of 3+ hours watched 2-3 waves of convection march northeast from the Santa Barbara Channel across the Oxnard Plain. We were showered on a few times, but were very happy to be east of these training T-storms and heavy rain. Here is a NWS Public Information Statement with some rainfall totals as of 11:00 a.m.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

In it's April 30 ENSO Wrap-Up, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology characterizes Pacific climate patterns as being generally neutral, "with the majority of indicators returning to near-normal levels." The April 28 ENSO Update from the CPC suggests that La Niña will continue through May-July 2008, but many of the factors discussed indicate general weakening of the cold ENSO episode.

We've had only a smattering of rain at Downtown Los Angeles since 0.46 inch was recorded back on February 24. A miniscule 0.01 inch was recorded on March 15, and 0.04 inch on April 2. These NOAA/NWS AHPS Precipitation Analyses map the 60 day Departure from Normal Precipitation and 60 day Percent of Normal Precipitation for the southwestern U.S., as of April 30, 2008.

As of May 1, the water year rainfall total for Downtown Los Angeles (USC) stands at 13.42 inches. This is 90% of the 1921-2006 average of 14.87 inches. According to the 1921-2006 dataset, the average amount of precipitation in May and June has been 0.3 inch and 0.1 inch, respectively. Today's NWS 6-10 Day and 8-14 Day Precipitation Outlooks for Southern California continues to indicate Normal precipitation. We'll see!

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.