Nature Reigns
Even without the El Nino factor, Los Angeles is fickle when it comes to rain, as this historical chart shows. In 1997, almost half of the year’s total rainfall came in January.
Civic Center annual totals (Jan.1-Dec.31)
1878: 20.86
1879: 17.41
1880: 18.65
1881: 5.53
1882: 10.74
1883: 14.14
1884: 40.29
1885: 10.53
1886: 16.72
1887: 16.02
1888: 20.82
1889: 33.26
1890: 12.69
1891: 12.84
1892: 18.72
1893: 21.96
1894: 7.51
1895: 12.55
1896: 11.80
1897: 14.28
1898: 4.83
1899: 8.69
1900: 11.30
1901: 11.96
1902: 13.12
1903: 14.77
1904: 11.88
1905: 19.19
1906: 21.46
1907: 15.30
1908: 13.74
1909: 23.92
1910: 4.89
1911: 17.85
1912: 9.78
1913: 17.17
1914: 23.21
1915: 16.67
1916: 23.29
1917: 8.45
1918: 17.49
1919: 8.82
1920: 11.18
1921: 19.85
1922: 15.27
1923: 6.25
1924: 8.11
1925: 8.94
1926: 18.56
1927: 18.63
1928: 8.69
1929: 8.32
1930: 13.02
1931: 18.93
1932: 10.72
1933: 18.76
1934: 14.67
1935: 14.49
1936: 18.24
1937: 17.97
1938: 27.16
1939: 12.06
1940: 20.26
1941: 31.28
1942: 7.40
1943: 22.57
1944: 17.45
1945: 12.78
1946: 16.22
1947: 4.13
1948: 7.59
1949: 10.63
1950: 7.38
1951: 14.33
1952: 24.95
1953: 4.08
1954: 13.69
1955: 11.89
1956: 13.62
1957: 13.24
1958: 17.49
1959: 6.23
1960: 9.57
1961: 5.83
1962: 15.37
1963: 12.31
1964: 7.98
1965: 26.81
1966: 12.91
1967: 23.66
1968: 7.58
1969: 26.32
1970: 16.54
1971: 9.26
1972: 6.54
1973: 17.45
1974: 16.69
1975: 10.70
1976: 11.01
1977: 14.97
1978: 30.57
1979: 17.00
1980: 26.33
1981: 10.92
1982: 14.41
1983: 34.04
1984: 8.90
1985: 8.92
1986: 18.00
1987: 9.11
1988: 11.57
1989: 4.56
1990: 6.49
1991: 15.07
1992: 22.65
1993: 23.44
1994: 8.69
1995: 24.06
*** 17.75
1996: 10.83
1997:
Average of 120 Years--14..98 inches
Source: National Weather Service, WeatherData Inc.