Rain (and rainfall records) keep falling in Southern California

When it rained in Southern California this year, it poured. And when it poured, it was usually cold.

A 135-year-old daily rainfall record in downtown Los Angeles was shattered Wednesday, March 6. Rainfall totals for the water year, which begins Oct.1 and ends Sept. 30, are more than 5 inches above average. And more rain has drenched the region in the past 5 months than it did during all of last water year.

To get an idea how February’s rainfall totals rank in history, the temperatures for the month, and how the current water year compares with the last one, here are some numbers from National Weather Service for Riverside, Santa Ana, and areas in Los Angeles County:

In Riverside:

• February saw 5.39 inches of rain, which is the 10th most out of any February in Riverside since 1893.
• On Feb. 14, 2.68 inches of rain fell, placing it as the 2nd most for a single day in February, also since 1893.  The heavy rains on that day rocked the region. Rescue crews saved more than 50 people during swift water rescues in Riverside and San Bernardino counties; two people died, including a Riverside woman who was swept more than 10 miles in a raging flood canal.
• From Oct. 1 to March 7, 12.53 inches of rain fell. The total is significantly more than all of the last water year (Oct.1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2018): 4.25 inches.
• Temperatures dropped to a low of 33 degrees in February. In the month, temperatures never broke into the 70s. The high was 68 degrees.

In Santa Ana:

• February saw 5.61 inches, which makes it the 18th wettest February in Santa Ana since 1906.
• The seventh highest single-day rainfall total came on Feb. 14, where it showered 2.59 inches.
• This water year has produced 16.64 inches of rain. Last water year, just 2.66 inches of rain dampened the area.

  

• Santa Ana saw a low temperature of 37 degrees, and a high of 72 degrees in February.

In downtown Los Angeles:

• Five and a half inches of rain poured downtown in February, which ranks 28th since recording began in 1876.
• The rain on March 6 totaled 1.25 inches, breaking a 135-year-old daily record. It was the highest rain total for the date since 1884, when .88 inches fell downtown.
• Last water year, it rained a total of 4.72 inches. This water year has already produced 17.99 inches. For reference, the wettest water year in downtown came in 1883 to 1884, when 38.18 inches dropped on the area.

As for future rainfall, a dry Saturday interrupts a series of light, scattered showers expected for Friday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.