Downtown L.A.’s 5-Year Rain Total Is Lowest Ever Recorded

L.A. Department of Water and Power employees prepare ground for a drought resistant garden outside DWP headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. With data in for the most recent rainy season, downtown has seen its lowest four-year rainfall total since record-keeping began in 1877. (Credit: Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Jul 7, 2016 / 07:51 AM PDT

Updated: Jul 7, 2016 / 07:52 AM PDT

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Los Angeles has chalked up yet another dreary milestone in its growing almanac of drought.

On Wednesday, experts at the National Weather Service confirmed that the last five years have been the driest ever documented in downtown L.A. since official record keeping began almost 140 years ago.

Having missed out on most of El Niño’s bountiful rains this winter, the Southland experienced yet another dreadfully below-average year of precipitation between July 1 and June 30.

As a result, downtown Los Angeles recorded an average of just 7.75 inches of rain every year since July 2011, according to NWS meteorologist Scott Sukup. That’s a total five-year rainfall of just 38.79 inches – roughly half of the amount of rain that would soak L.A. in a normal five-year period, experts say.

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