Downtown L.A. has first ‘reverse’ meteorological spring in 100 years

Downtown Los Angeles had its first “reverse” meteorological spring in nearly 100 years due to drier and warmer-than-normal conditions.

The meteorological spring -- defined as March, April and May -- was unusual for downtown Los Angeles this year because March was the warmest month and May was the coolest, making it “reverse of the climatological norm,” according to the National Weather Service.

This rare weather event has not occurred since 1921, nearly a century ago.

Reverse meteorological springs have occurred three times since record-keeping began in 1877.

“It’s unusual to see we are so dry and so warm this time of year,” said Stuart Seto, a weather specialist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

The weather event, however, is not necessarily an indicator for the future, Seto said.

The months of March, April and May were warmer and drier than normal this year across southwestern California.

In downtown Los Angeles, the average monthly temperature for March was 68.2 degrees. In April, it was 65.8 degrees, and in May it was 64.1 degrees.

Average monthly temperatures from 1981 to 2010 for March, April and May in downtown Los Angeles were 60.6 degrees, 63.1 degrees and 65.8 degrees, respectively.

So far this year, only January had a lower monthly temperature, but by just 2.1 degrees. February’s average temperature mirrored May’s weather.

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