When it rains in Southern California, it pours, evidently.
Across the region, the National Weather Service’s latest data has shown dramatic increases in precipitation totals for the rainy season thus far. Several Southern California spots have even seen their totals double only a few months into the rainy season, which is measured beginning Oct. 1.
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“It’s definitely been an impressive winter,” said NWS meteorologist Rich Thompson.
For one, Downtown LA usually sees about 10 inches total for the rain season. As of Thursday, it’s nearly 12 inches ahead of normal, Thompson said.
Places in Orange County, like Santa Ana and Fullerton, also had rainfall totals that were far above average for the season, NWS meteorologist Mark Moede added.
The same was true in the Inland Empire. For example, Chino saw about 9 more inches of rain than average; by the same metric, Riverside saw about 3 inches more than normal for the season so far, he added. Ontario had an “incredible 10.40 inches above normal” for the season, Moede said.
For areas without an official NWS measuring site, like the city of San Bernardino and many parts of Orange County, Moede said totals were generally uniform and in line with what the NWS has recorded.
Daniel Jester, 37, who works for the city of Riverside’s parks, recreation, and community department, was born and raised in the city. He has been struck by the beauty and uniqueness that’s accompanied 2023’s spate of storms, he said, like newly snow-capped mountains and green hills.
From the Blizzard ’23 to the past months’ regular downpours, Jester said the recent weather is quite different and even “bizarre” compared to the region’s normal climate.
“It’s just been unusual to watch the weather change over the last 20-30 years in the city,” Jester said.
Saturday and Sunday are expected to be dry for LA County this weekend, although more rain is expected in the coming days and will increase the season’s already-high totals.
An atmospheric river is on the way for Los Angeles County on Monday and Tuesday of next week, according to meteorologist Kristen Stewart. It could linger into Wednesday as well.
Atmospheric rivers are what typically drive precipitation in Southern California. They take warm air from the tropics and dump “tons of rain” across the state, Stewart added.
The Inland Empire and Orange County will also be hit by the atmospheric river Monday through Wednesday, Moede added.
NWS projections are also forecasting an additional atmospheric river hitting all of Southern California sometime starting Friday and continuing into the following weekend. The time frame is still unclear, Moede added, noting that both of next week’s systems will affect the entire state.
“(It) seems to be an endless series of storms in this endless winter,” Moede said.
Take a look at the totals for the rainy season so far:
- Long Beach: 17.5 inches
- Downtown LA: 24.08 inches
- Burbank: 23.40 inches
- LAX Airport: 20.45 inches
- Santa Ana: 15.43 inches
- Fullerton: 18.83 inches
- Riverside: 11 inches
- Ontario: 20.12 inches
- Chino: 18 inches
Source: National Weather Service
