L.A. Has Record Dry Season, Least Amount of Rain Since 1877

The rainy season that ended this week was the seventh-driest for downtown Los Angeles since record-keeping began in 1877, the National Weather Service announced today.

Just 6.08 inches of rain fell in downtown Los Angeles between July 1, 2013, and Monday, according to the NWS. That was actually ahead of the 2012-13 rain season, which was the sixth-driest with 5.85 inches.

"The combined rainfall for the last two seasons was just 11.93 inches," according to the NWS. "That is the least total rain ever recorded in back-to-back seasons in downtown Los Angeles. The previous driest back-to-back rain seasons were 1897-1898 and 1898-1899, during which 12.45 inches of rain was recorded."

Forecasters said the rainfall deficit in downtown over the past two seasons was 17.93 inches, meaning rainfall for the past two seasons combined "was nearly a foot and a half below normal."

According to the Weather Service, the recently concluded rainy season was the third straight in which less than 10 inches of rain was recorded. That marked only the fourth such stretch since 1877, with the most recent occurring from 1958-61.

It also marked the third-driest stretch of three consecutive rainy seasons since 1877. Only the seasons from 1958-61 and 1897-1900 received less rain.

"Since 2001, four of the seven driest rainy seasons have been recorded in downtown Los Angeles, including the driest (2006-07), during which 3.21 inches of rain was measured; the second-driest (2001-02), when 4.42 inches of rain was measured; the sixth-driest (2012-13) with 5.85 inches; and the 2013-14 season, during which 6.08 inches of rain fell."

—City News Service