Even if landmarks didn’t give away the southerly position of the sun, the leafless valley oak, green grass, and the dynamic nature of the clouds all say “Winter!”
From a run last week in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, better known as Ahmanson Ranch.
Ladyface is the peak left of center. It’s west of Kanan Rd. just south of the 101 Freeway. Sandstone Peak, the highest summit in the Santa Monica Mountains, is in the distance on the right.
From this evening’s run on Lasky Mesa.
Some related posts: Ladyface Loop, Ladyface the Long Way, Sandstone Peak from Wendy Drive
According to the 1981-2010 climate normals January, February and March are the rainiest three months at Downtown Los Angeles (USC). March is normally a little wetter than December, but close enough that the four months December to March “normally” account for nearly 80% of Los Angeles’ annual rainfall total of 14.93 inches.
But normal weather years only exist on paper, and those rarely seen monthly normals are just a reference so we may make comparisons from year to year. This water year Downtown Los Angeles was only about 0.2 inch under the normal amount of rainfall for December, but as of today is about 1.5 inches under the normal January total. When you add it all up Los Angeles is at about 63% of the normal total for the water year.
Although much of Southern California has recorded well below average rainfall, that isn’t necessarily the case across the board. LAX’s water year rainfall total currently stands at 89% of normal, and Santa Barbara Airport is at 94% of normal.
There are some indications (GWO phase and forecast MJO activity) that February might just have its share of wet weather. We’ll see!
Update February 13, 2013. Despite hopeful signs at the end of January and CPC’s above average Precipitation Outlook for Southern California for the period February 5-9 and February 7-13, Downtown Los Angeles (USC) has recorded only 0.02 inch of rain so far this February. Los Angeles water year rainfall now stands at 4.42 inches, which is slightly less than half of normal. Once again it looks like there may be some opportunities for wet weather in California during the last week or so of February, but the increasingly La Nina-like character of the atmospheric circulation suggests more rain is probable in Northern and Central California than in the southern part of the state. Again, we’ll see!
The photo of clouds and showers in the Los Angeles basin is from this morning’s run in the Santa Monica Mountains.
More miles means more sunset miles.
From a longer than expected run Monday afternoon.
From this morning’s run of the Garapito loop from Marvin Braude Mulholland Gateway Park at the southern end of Reseda Blvd.
Some related posts: Ferns Along the Garapito Trail, Garapito Trail Runs
Sunday, running in the rain on Rocky Peak, it occurred to me that I’d done a lot of runs on rainy days this Fall.
When I got back from the run I checked the NWS web site and found that during the months of October, November and December there have been 17 days with measurable rain at Downtown Los Angeles. Normal for that period (to date) would be around 9 days.
The thing is, we’ve yet to have a day with a half-inch or more of rain Downtown, and we’re only at about 60% of normal rainfall for the water year.
At the moment it looks like another weak system passes through tomorrow afternoon and evening, followed by somewhat wetter systems Sunday night and Wednesday.
At times both the GFS and ECMWF have been forecasting a stronger system might impact Southern California near the end of the year. Today the GFS has it in our forecast and ECMWF doesn’t. The culprit in the ECMWF forecast is a cutoff upper level low, so look for the forecast to change!
The photograph of the cumulus buildups (north of Los Angeles) is from a run at Ahmanson Ranch on December 13, following the passage of a cold front.