Los Angeles sees its first rainfall in more than four months
Los Angeles recorded its first measurable precipitation since April 26th on Sunday.
Several rounds of steady rainfall slid across the Los Angeles metro area on both Sunday and Monday, contributing to traffic accidents and significantly reducing visibility during periods of heavier precipitation.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) picked up 0.60″ of rain on Sunday and an additional 0.05″ through midday Monday, marking the site’s first measurable rain in more than four months. Long Beach saw 0.68″ of rain after enduring the same rain-less spell as Los Angeles. Farther south, San Diego missed out on the precipitation, where it hasn’t rained since May 29th.
Rainfall is considered “measurable” when at least 0.01″ falls in the gauge. A trace (“T”) of precipitation isn’t measurable, occurring when precipitation is observed but doesn’t produce measurable accumulation.
Hurricane Marie (which is now a tropical storm as of Monday afternoon) sent the moisture spilling over the region. A strong jet stream over the northern half of California provided the lift needed to produce the batches of rainfall in and around Los Angeles.
The city is used to going through the summer months with little to no precipitation. This is the 10th time since records began in 1944 that LAX has gone without any measurable precipitation between May 1st and August 31st, and it’s the 13th such time since records began in downtown Los Angeles in 1877.
Summer is the dry season for much of southern California; averages show just about half an inch of rain between May and September. Precipitation picks up in November and continues in earnest through early spring as atmospheric rivers wash into the West Coast.
We’ll have to monitor the potential for additional waves of tropical moisture to reach southern California in the weeks ahead as a very active eastern Pacific hurricane season continues.
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