Rainfall at the Getty Center. Photo courtesy of MonicaVolpin & Pixabay.com.
See also:
-- Monthly Rainfall by Season - Downtown Los Angeles
-- Record Wettest & Driest Seasons & Wettest Days - Downtown Los Angeles
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Burbank
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Hawthorne
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Lancaster
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Long Beach
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Los Angeles International Airport
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Palmdale
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Pasadena
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Sandberg
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Santa Catalina Island
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Santa Clarita
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Santa Fe Dam (San Gabriel Valley)
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Santa Monica
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Van Nuys, Los Angeles
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Westwood, Los Angeles
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Whittier
-- Total Rainfall by Season vs. Average - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles
NOTE: When most weather reporting sources cite weather in Los Angeles (without specifying where, exactly, in Los Angeles), these numbers are typically for the Downtown Los Angeles weather station (actually located on the USC campus).
Of the ten driest seasons for Downtown L.A. since 1877, six occurred within the last 20 years and four just within the last decade.
Downtown Los Angeles historical seasonal rainfall chart, 1877-2021. Click on image for larger image.
In July 1999, for the start of the 1999-2000 rain season, the Downtown Los Angeles weather station was relocated from the upper level of a two-story parking structure at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) building to a ground-level, park-like setting on the University of Southern California (USC) campus. This was the first time that the downtown station was located outside the city center of Los Angeles. The move was part of a nationwide effort by the National Weather Service to locate all weather stations at ground-level with more natural surroundings. The USC location is almost four miles closer to the coast and about 90 feet lower in elevation than the former DWP location. The relocation naturally drew some concern by meteorologists, regarding the continuity of overall historic weather data trends for Downtown Los Angeles station.
Overall average for seasons beginning 1877 through 2021: 14.66 inches*
| Season (July 1-June 30) | Total Inches of Rainfall | Inches Above/Below (+/-) Overall Season Average* |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | See month-by-month numbers as season unfolds. | |
| 2021-2022 | 12.40 | -2.26 |
| 2020-2021 | 5.82 | -8.84 |
| 2019-2020 | 14.86 | +0.20 |
| 2018-2019 | 18.82 | +4.16 |
| 2017-2018 | 4.79 | -9.87 |
| 2016-2017 | 19.00 | +4.34 |
| 2015-2016 | 9.65 | -5.01 |
| 2014-2015 | 8.52 | -6.14 |
| 2013-2014 | 6.08 | -8.58 |
| 2012-2013 | 5.85 | -8.81 |
| 2011-2012 | 8.69 | -5.97 |
| 2010-2011 | 20.20 | +5.54 |
| 2009-2010 | 16.36 | +1.70 |
| 2008-2009 | 9.08 | -5.58 |
| 2007-2008 | 13.53 | -1.13 |
| 2006-2007 | 3.21 | -11.45 |
| 2005-2006 | 13.19 | -1.47 |
| 2004-2005 | 37.25 | +22.59 |
| 2003-2004 | 9.24 | -5.42 |
| 2002-2003 | 16.49 | +1.83 |
| 2001-2002 | 4.42 | -10.24 |
| 2000-2001 | 17.94 | +3.28 |
| 1999-2000 | 11.57 | -3.09 |
| 1998-1999 | 9.09 | -5.57 |
| 1997-1998 | 31.01 | +16.35 |
| 1996-1997 | 12.40 | -2.26 |
| 1995-1996 | 12.46 | -2.20 |
| 1994-1995 | 24.35 | +9.69 |
| 1993-1994 | 8.11 | -6.55 |
| 1992-1993 | 27.36 | +12.70 |
| 1991-1992 | 21.00 | +6.34 |
| 1990-1991 | 11.47 | -3.19 |
| 1989-1990 | 7.35 | -7.31 |
| 1988-1989 | 8.08 | -6.58 |
| 1987-1988 | 12.48 | -2.18 |
| 1986-1987 | 7.66 | -7.00 |
| 1985-1986 | 17.86 | +3.20 |
| 1984-1985 | 12.82 | -1.84 |
| 1983-1984 | 10.43 | -4.23 |
| 1982-1983 | 31.25 | +16.59 |
| 1981-1982 | 10.71 | -3.95 |
| 1980-1981 | 8.98 | -5.68 |
| 1979-1980 | 26.98 | +12.32 |
| 1978-1979 | 19.67 | +5.01 |
| 1977-1978 | 33.44 | +18.78 |
| 1976-1977 | 12.31 | -2.35 |
| 1975-1976 | 7.22 | -7.44 |
| 1974-1975 | 14.35 | -0.31 |
| 1973-1974 | 14.92 | +0.26 |
| 1972-1973 | 21.26 | +6.60 |
| 1971-1972 | 7.17 | -7.49 |
| 1970-1971 | 12.32 | -2.34 |
| 1969-1970 | 7.77 | -6.89 |
| 1968-1969 | 27.47 | +12.81 |
| 1967-1968 | 16.58 | +1.92 |
| 1966-1967 | 22.00 | +7.34 |
| 1965-1966 | 20.44 | +5.78 |
| 1964-1965 | 13.69 | -0.97 |
| 1963-1964 | 7.93 | -6.73 |
| 1962-1963 | 8.38 | -6.28 |
| 1961-1962 | 18.79 | +4.13 |
| 1960-1961 | 4.85 | -9.81 |
| 1959-1960 | 8.18 | -6.48 |
| 1958-1959 | 5.58 | -9.08 |
| 1957-1958 | 21.13 | +6.47 |
| 1956-1957 | 9.54 | -5.12 |
| 1955-1956 | 16.00 | +1.34 |
| 1954-1955 | 11.94 | -2.72 |
| 1953-1954 | 11.99 | -2.67 |
| 1952-1953 | 9.46 | -5.20 |
| 1951-1952 | 26.21 | +11.55 |
| 1950-1951 | 8.21 | -6.45 |
| 1949-1950 | 10.60 | -4.06 |
| 1948-1949 | 7.99 | -6.67 |
| 1947-1948 | 7.22 | -7.44 |
| 1946-1947 | 12.61 | -2.05 |
| 1945-1946 | 12.13 | -2.53 |
| 1944-1945 | 11.58 | -3.08 |
| 1943-1944 | 19.21 | +4.55 |
| 1942-1943 | 19.17 | +4.51 |
| 1941-1942 | 11.18 | -3.48 |
| 1940-1941 | 32.76† | +18.10 |
| 1939-1940 | 18.96 | +4.30 |
| 1938-1939 | 13.06† | -1.60 |
| 1937-1938 | 23.43 | +8.77 |
| 1936-1937 | 22.41 | +7.75 |
| 1935-1936 | 12.07 | -2.59 |
| 1934-1935 | 21.66 | +7.00 |
| 1933-1934 | 14.55 | -0.11 |
| 1932-1933 | 11.84 | -2.82 |
| 1931-1932 | 16.95 | +2.29 |
| 1930-1931 | 12.53 | -2.13 |
| 1929-1930 | 12.50 | -2.16 |
| 1928-1929 | 12.66 | -2.00 |
| 1927-1928 | 9.77 | -4.89 |
| 1926-1927 | 17.44† | +2.78 |
| 1925-1926 | 17.56 | +2.90 |
| 1924-1925 | 7.38† | -7.28 |
| 1923-1924 | 6.67 | -7.99 |
| 1922-1923 | 9.59 | -5.07 |
| 1921-1922 | 19.66 | +5.00 |
| 1920-1921 | 13.71 | -0.95 |
| 1919-1920 | 12.52 | -2.14 |
| 1918-1919 | 8.58 | -6.08 |
| 1917-1918 | 13.86 | -0.80 |
| 1916-1917 | 15.26 | +0.60 |
| 1915-1916 | 19.92 | +5.26 |
| 1914-1915 | 17.05 | +2.39 |
| 1913-1914 | 23.65 | +8.99 |
| 1912-1913 | 13.42 | -1.24 |
| 1911-1912 | 11.60 | -3.06 |
| 1910-1911 | 16.18 | +1.52 |
| 1909-1910 | 12.63 | -2.03 |
| 1908-1909 | 19.18 | +4.52 |
| 1907-1908 | 11.72 | -2.94 |
| 1906-1907 | 19.30 | +4.64 |
| 1905-1906 | 18.65 | +3.99 |
| 1904-1905 | 19.52 | +4.86 |
| 1903-1904 | 8.72 | -5.94 |
| 1902-1903 | 19.32 | +4.66 |
| 1901-1902 | 10.60 | -4.06 |
| 1900-1901 | 16.29 | +1.63 |
| 1899-1900 | 7.91 | -6.75 |
| 1898-1899 | 5.59 | -9.07 |
| 1897-1898 | 7.06 | -7.60 |
| 1896-1897 | 16.86 | +2.20 |
| 1895-1896 | 8.51 | -6.15 |
| 1894-1895 | 16.11 | +1.45 |
| 1893-1894 | 6.73 | -7.93 |
| 1892-1893 | 26.28 | +11.62 |
| 1891-1892 | 11.85 | -2.81 |
| 1890-1891 | 13.36 | -1.30 |
| 1889-1890 | 34.84 | +20.18 |
| 1888-1889 | 19.28 | +4.62 |
| 1887-1888 | 13.87 | -0.79 |
| 1886-1887 | 14.05 | -0.61 |
| 1885-1886 | 22.31 | +7.65 |
| 1884-1885 | 9.21 | -5.45 |
| 1883-1884 | 38.18 | +23.52 |
| 1882-1883 | 12.11 | -2.55 |
| 1881-1882 | 10.40 | -4.26 |
| 1880-1881 | 13.13 | -1.53 |
| 1879-1880 | 20.34 | +5.68 |
| 1878-1879 | 11.35 | -3.31 |
| 1877-1878 | 21.26 | +6.60 |
* Average as calculated over all years of available rainfall data. Keep in mind that a few seasons of high rainfall skew the average upwards. The current "normal" or average seasonal precipitation for this station, updated on May 4, 2021, is 14.25 inches, based upon the 30-year average for 1991 through 2020.
† One or more months during the season was missing data for five or more days.
Source: National Weather Service
