Los Angeles Rainfall, 1878-1998

The National Weather Service’s rain gauge at the Los Angeles Civic Center recorded 27.85 inches of precipitation in 1998. This total is more than double the amount recorded in 1997, which was 10.83 inches.

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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: 12.96

1894: 7.51

1895: 12.55

1896: 11.80

1897: 14.28

1898: 4.83

1899: 8.69

1900: 11.83

1901: 11.26

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: 8.56

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: 17.09

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: 9.62

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

1996: 17.75

1997: 10.83

1998: 27.85

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Note: These figures are for the calendar year, Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, and are useful in comparing Los Angeles to other cities for which annual precipitation figures generally are based on the calendar year. However, in Southern California, rainfall is typically reported on a seasonal basis, July 1 through June 30, which is what The Times uses in stories and on its weather page.

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Sources: National Weather Service, WeatherData Inc.