A classic cold front associated with a cold upper level low and Pacific trough pushed through Southern California overnight Sunday, producing rain at the lower elevations and snow at the higher elevations. Scattered convective showers and isolated thunderstorms followed in the wake of the front as the low and trough slowly moved onshore. TV news reports showed marble sized hail produced by a strong cell in the eastern San Fernando Valley.

Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded 0.91 inch of rain for the storm, bringing the water year total to 16.17 inches, which is more than an inch above the 1971-2000 annual climate norm of 15.14 inches*. Here's an archived copy of a NWS Public Information Statement with some rainfall totals from around the area.

The additional rainfall puts Downtown Los Angeles at 1.51 inches for the month of April, well above the climate normal of 0.83 inches. The normal amount of precipitation for May is 0.31 inches, and for June is 0.06 inches. Although the current El Nino appears to be in decline, convection is still enhanced in a broad area of the western and central equatorial Pacific, and the GWO, MEI, and ONI all indicate the continued presence of El Nino. This could result in more active Spring weather than usual. We'll see!

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

*The average annual rainfall for Los Angeles of 15.14 inches is computed on a calendar year basis for the 30 year period 1971-2000. Technically it is not a water year average, but by convention it is used as a reference for water year rainfall. For details about how normal temperature and precipitation values are computed, see CLIMATOGRAPHY OF THE U.S. NO. 81 - Monthly Station Normals.

This week's Pacific system produced more rain in Southern California than recent similar troughs. The front associated with the system stalled as it approached the Los Angeles basin, and the low level inflow and jet dynamics helped sustain rain rates as the front dissipated.

Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded 0.60 inch of rain, bringing the water year total to 15.26 inches, which is above the 1971-2000 annual climate norm of 15.14 inches*. Here's an archived copy of a NWS Public Information Statement with some rainfall totals from around the area.

The water year ends June 30, so we still have a few weeks to add to our rainfall total. Los Angeles rainfall was below normal for the month of March, but we're already above normal month to date for April and it looks like more wet weather could be on the way. Recent runs of the GFS and ECMWF have been suggesting another system will affect Southern California the Sunday evening to Monday timeframe, and also project the possibility of another system midweek. We'll see!

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

*The average annual rainfall for Los Angeles of 15.14 inches is computed on a calendar year basis for the 30 year period 1971-2000. Technically it is not a water year average, but by convention it is used as a reference for water year rainfall. For details about how normal temperature and precipitation values are computed, see CLIMATOGRAPHY OF THE U.S. NO. 81 - Monthly Station Normals.