Following several weeks of dry weather, a shift to a wetter pattern brought much needed rain and snow to California this past week. The pattern change was apparently induced by MJO enhancement of El Niño convection in the equatorial Pacific.

Downtown Los Angeles recorded 1.78 inches of rain from Thursday to Sunday, bringing the water year total to 4.81 inches. This is about 2.20 inches above normal for the date. Rainfall totals generally ranged from 2 to 4 inches in the basin and valleys, and 2 to 6 inches in the mountains. Here's an archived copy of a NWS Public Information Statement with rainfall totals from around the area.

Will the current El Niño produce the expected seasonal impacts in Southern California? A new tool that can help gain some insight into the linkage of climate and weather is the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO) phase space plot. Ed Berry repeatedly demonstrated the usefulness of this tool in his blog Atmospheric Insights. Although the blog has been discontinued, its content remains a valuable resource.

The GWO is a recurring subseasonal phenomenon that involves the transport and interchange of momentum in the earth-atmosphere system. It encompasses the MJO and occurs on a similar timescale. Analogous to the MJO phase space plot, but based on a framework of atmospheric angular momentum (AAM), the GWO phase space plot is a measure global relative atmospheric angular momentum and it's tendency. For details, see Weickmann & Berry, 2008.

Relative AAM is generally positive during an El Niño and negative during a La Nina. Relative AAM is correlated with rain season precipitation in Southern California*, and can be helpful in assessing potential El Niño impacts. The following November to March GWO phase plots show the distinctly different behavior of the GWO during the strong El Niño of 1997-98, and the strong La Nina of 1973-74:

GWO El Niño 1997-1998	GWO La Niña 1973-1974
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In a decade characterized by quirky El Niños, the El Niño of 2009-10 has been acting like another odd one. From a Southern California perspective, the concern has been that it might be like the El Niño of 2006-07 when Downtown Los Angeles recorded only 3.21" of rain over the water year. In the early stages of the El Niño of 2006 strong convection developed in the Indian Ocean during November, but an MJO did not develop until a second round of Indian Ocean convection occurred in mid December. Relative AAM remained negative, and in terms of the atmosphere, the 2006 El Niño didn't make it to 2007.

This year, Indian Ocean convection did spawn an MJO which eventually enhanced El Niño convection near the dateline. Significant momentum was added to the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, energizing the westerlies and contributing to the pattern change that resulted in our recent wet weather. However, the increase in mid-latitude AAM has been mostly offset by negative anomalies at higher latitudes. Following are the GWO phase space plots for the current rain season to date, and the quirky El Niño of 2006-07.

GWO El Niño 2009-2010	GWO El Niño 2006-2007
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So where do we go from here?. For at least a few days the storm track has shifted north. It appears the GWO might be starting an orbit that will take it farther into the El Niño side of the phase space. Several MJO forecasts show the next MJO cycle shortcutting it's orbit back into the Western Pacific. In the 6-10 day period, the GEFS ensemble MJO forecast indicates enhancement of equatorial convection around 90E, and suppression (by the MJO contribution) of El Niño convection near the dateline. This could modify any short term response of the El Niño signal and the GWO, once again reducing AAM.

Below are the GWO phase plots for two El Niños with ONI and MEI values comparable to the current El Niño. In the 1986-87 El Niño, November to March AAM averaged 0.02, and it wasn't until February that the GWO climbed out of the AAM doldrums. That water year Los Angeles recorded 7.66 inches of rain. On the other hand, in the 1994-95 El Niño, November to March AAM averaged 0.76. In mid December the GWO began to reflect an ocean-atmosphere coupled El Niño response, and Los Angeles went on to record 24.35 inches of rain for the water year. At the moment it looks like Southern California might not be as dry as 1986-87, but probably not as wet as 1994-95. We'll see!

GWO El Niño 1986-1987	GWO El Niño 1994-1995
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*1958-2008 Precipitation/AAM correlation plot generated using US Climate Division Dataset Seasonal Correlation Page.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

Drier than average weather in the Southwestern U.S., and wet weather in the Pacific Northwest in recent weeks has some folks wondering if the 2009-2010 El Niño is going to be another one of the quirky, underachieving El Niños we've been seeing this decade.

For much of September and October, the primary area of equatorial convection in the Eastern Hemisphere was in the Central Pacific, just west of the dateline. Convection was suppressed in the Indian Ocean. Such a pattern is consistent with El Niño.

Enhanced convection centered at about 160E in early October may have helped to extend the Pacific jet following an East Asian mountain torque event around October 5. This in turn may have contributed to an atmospheric river precipitation event in California October 13-14, 2009.

At that time it looked like we might finally be off and running with a "real" El Niño event. Particularly because during October equatorial Pacific SSTs and heat content anomalies increased dramatically. Theses increases were the result of of a strong Westerly Wind Burst (WWB), an associated downwelling Kelvin wave, and diminished tradewinds,

However -- and I think I hear Ed Berry's Rottweiler growling -- beginning in mid October, strong convection developed in the Indian Ocean. This essentially neutralized El Niño, and perhaps contributed to the La Nina like precipitation pattern we've been experiencing along the west coast of the U.S.

Indicative of the ocean-atmosphere issues, relative Atmospheric Angular Momentum (AAM) has been negative since early September, and the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO) has remained on the La Nina side of the GWO phase space.

Does this mean we've had an El Niño false alarm?

I wouldn't put away my rain gear just yet. Although November rainfall for Downtown Los Angeles is about 0.6 inch below normal, we usually only get about an inch of rain in November. And don't forget, because of the big storm in October, we are still about 0.6 inch ABOVE normal rainfall for the water year.

Update November 24, 2009. Current equatorial heat content anomalies are about the same as in 2006, not greater. See this composite TAO/TRITON section plot comparing equatorial heat content in 2006 and 2009.

And there are some positive signs. Equatorial Pacific SST and heat content anomalies are much greater than in the short-lived 2006 El Niño, and are more along the lines of those observed in the 2002-2003 El Niño. In addition, a strong MJO has developed. It has remained coherent, and is propagating eastward into the Western Pacific. It already appears to be helping to enhance convection in the Western and Central Pacific, and could kick-start the El Niño engine over the next week or two. We'll see!

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

The frontal band associated with the first Pacific upper level low system and trough of Autumn 2009 is producing some showers in Central California. Some snow showers could occur at the higher elevations of the Sierra. A strong onshore flow has dramatically cooled temperatures throughout the state.

Today's cool temps are a welcome respite from several days of hot weather. Wednesday and Thursday of last week, Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded a high of 100°F; and Saturday, Woodland Hills (Pierce College) reported a high of 107°F. Temperatures are expected to rebound Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, but are forecast to cool again over the weekend.

Similar to what occurred in July there has been little change in equatorial Pacific SST anomalies, the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) has switched from negative to positive, the Aug-Sep Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) value is not expected to significantly increase, and the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO) has dropped its orbit to a lower relative AAM state.

On the plus side, a large area of enhanced convection has redeveloped in the West Central Pacific from about 150E to the dateline, and another of a series of Westerly Wind Bursts (WWB) is occurring -- the strongest observed so far during this ENSO transition. This WWB will likely be followed by another eastward propagating downwelling Kelvin wave, which could help increase upper-ocean heat content anomalies in the equatorial Pacific.

Moderate El Niños come in many flavors and have varying impacts. Under the guise of such El Niños Los Angeles experienced its second wettest water year on record in 2004-2005, when 37.25 inches of rain was recorded; then in 2006-2007 had its driest water year on record, when only 3.21" was recorded.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

After spending the last week of May and most of June on the positive relative AAM (El Niño) side of the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO) phase space, the GWO slipped back into negative relative AAM territory the last week of June and stayed there most of July. Following the lead of the atmosphere, development of the current El Niño also slowed in July.

During July there was little change in equatorial Pacific SST anomalies; the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) became strongly positive; and the June-July Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) value, reported August 5, increased by only 0.05.

However, during July, enhanced tropical convection shifted from the western Indian Ocean to the west central Pacific, extending from about 140E to the dateline. This was followed by the development of a strong Westerly Wind Burst (WWB) in the western Pacific. Coincident with the WWB was a dramatic reduction in the SOI, and an an orbit of the GWO to a somewhat higher global relative AAM state. These events are consistent with a developing El Niño.

According to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion issued August 6 by the Climate Prediction Center/NCEP/NWS, "current conditions and model forecasts favor the continued development of a weak-to-moderate strength El Niño into the Northern Hemisphere Fall 2009, with the likelihood of at least a moderate strength El Niño (3-month Niño-3.4 SST index of +1.0°C or greater) during the Northern Hemisphere Winter 2009-10."

How often are Summer temps hotter in Seattle than the San Fernando Valley? From July 26 to August 3, 2009, the Seattle area suffered through a heat wave that broke numerous records, including several "all-time" temperature records. On July 29, 2009 Sea-Tac reached 103°F, Bellingham 96°F, and Seattle WFO (Sandpoint) 105°F, the highest temperature ever recorded at these stations.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

Los Angeles Temps Continue Below Normal.

Downtown Los Angeles (USC) ended the water year on June 30th having recorded 9.08 inches of rain, which is 6.06 inches below the 1971-2000 norm of 15.14 inches. Some additional water year rainfall totals:

According to the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion issued July 9 by the Climate Prediction Center/NCEP/NWS, "During June 2009, conditions across the equatorial Pacific Ocean transitioned from ENSO-neutral to El Niño conditions." According to the report, El Nino conditions are expected to continue to develop, and last through the NH Winter.

The May-June Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) value, reported July 6, has increased by 0.51 to +0.85. As was the case last month, the 3-month rise of the MEI (since February-March) is the 4th highest on record for this time of year, and was last exceeded by the strong El Niño of 1997. According to the MEI's originator, Dr. Klaus Wolter, "the combination of already border-line moderate El Niño conditions along with such a big rise in the MEI at this time of year has always been followed by continued El Niño conditions through the remainder of the calendar year, at least in the modern MEI record (since 1950)."

However, as the truncated 2006-07 El Niño event demonstrates, an El Niño is more than just warm Pacific equatorial SSTs. Through complex forcing and feedback mechanisms, the atmosphere and oceans have to cooperate on a global scale. As climate scientist Ed Berry cautions in his July 3rd Atmospheric Insights post, "Should total AAM departures become comparable to that observed during this past January and February, my concerns of an El-Nino 'false alarm' for the weather-climate dynamical system will be significantly raised."

Generally speaking, the momentum of the atmosphere increases when there is an El Niño, and decreases during a La Niña. Over the past 40 days the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO) has retreated from the higher AAM (El Niño) side of the GWO phase space to the lower AAM (La Niña) side. One concern is that two areas of tropical forcing (Indian Ocean and Pacific) may interact in such a way as to quash the El Niño engine. We'll see!

Closer to home, although temps in Southern California have recently been more seasonable, particularly in the Valleys, the last time the average daily temperature in Downtown Los Angeles was above normal was back on May 21 -- 48 days ago.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

Unusual weather for June. Not so much that there were thunderstorms, but that the thunderstorms were in part the result of an unseasonably strong jet embedded in the base of an offshore upper level low.

It's a bit of a stretch, but an argument could be made that these storms were a calling card of an increasingly energetic atmosphere, and a developing El Niño.

Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded a total of 0.02 inch of rain Wednesday. The rainfall increased the water year precipitation total for Los Angeles to 8.95 inches, which is 6.16 inches below normal.

It's not often that a trace of rainfall sets a record, but that was the case at Camarillo Airport and Palmdale, which had not previously recorded precipitation on June 3. The 0.03 inches recorded at Sandberg was also a record. Here's a CNRFC graphic with some 24 hour rainfall totals in Los Angeles County.

Several factors point to an increased probability of El Niño conditions developing over the next few months. Among them, Equatorial Pacific SSTs have increased, and the subsurface heat content is the highest it's been since the El Niño of 2006-07.

But as the short-lived 2006-07 El Niño event demonstrates, an El Niño is more than just warm Pacific equatorial SSTs. Through complex forcing and feedback mechanisms, the atmosphere and oceans have to cooperate on a global scale. Generally speaking the momentum of the atmosphere increases when there is an El Niño, and decreases during a La Nina.

And it looks like the atmospheric momentum may be increasing. Orbits of the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO), a measure of atmospheric momentum, have been shifting upward, in the direction of more energetic values usually associated with an El Niño.

However, an El Niño is not a done deal. The climate system is just leaning in that direction. As climate scientist Klaus Wolter has previously pointed out, in a similar situation in 1973-1975, the climate fell back into a La Niña for another year. But at this point it appears we may be diverging from that analog case. (See June 6 Weathernotes.) We'll see!

Update 06/05/09. Unseasonably strong 110+ kt jet overhead as upper low center moves onshore in Central California. At 7:15 this morning, Intellicast composite radar showed most of the shower activity occurring to the north of Los Angeles, but there has been scattered showers in the Los Angeles area as well, with measurable rain recorded at a number of stations. Here's an archived copy of a NWS Public Information Statement with some preliminary rainfall totals as of 5:00 p.m.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

An unseasonably strong, late season Pacific storm system brought rain to much of California Friday and Saturday, including some areas of Southern California.

Los Angeles basin and valley areas generally recorded a trace of precipitation, but some stations in the Ventura mountains recorded as much as 0.3 inch. Here is an archived copy of a NWS Public Information Statement, with some precipitation totals from around the area.

Heavier rain occurred in Central California. A new rainfall record for May 1 was set in Sacramento, and higher elevations of the Sierra received about a foot of snow. Enhanced southwesterly, sub-tropical flow, and enhanced convection associated with the phase 7 MJO may have contributed to the strength of the system.

SSTs have warmed in the equatorial Pacific, and at least for the moment, orbits of the GWO have shifted to a more ENSO neutral stance. Some longer term ENSO forecasts are now predicting warm ENSO conditions to develop by next Winter.

A warming trend is expected in Southern California over the next several days, with high temperatures in the valleys near 90 by mid-week.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

Downtown Los Angeles (USC) happened to be under the right cloud yesterday, and recorded 0.02 inch of rain. There's a continuing chance of showers in Southern California through the weekend. The area could use some rain. The last storm to produce more than a couple tenths of inch of rain at Downtown Los Angeles was back on February 24, 2008 -- more than eight months ago.

Last year, California's rain season might have been scripted by Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Lowland rain totals and the Sierra snowpack were well above normal through the end of February, and then the spigot was turned off. The storm track shifted north, and California had its driest March to May on record. (The March 29, 2008 post in Ed Berry's Atmospheric Insights blog describes the events that may have led to and maintained this shift.)

Which rain season personality will emerge this Winter? Earlier this year the equatorial Pacific tried to transition to El Nino, but the atmosphere didn't cooperate. As measured by the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI), the ENSO state has returned to the weak La Nina threshold. And as measured by the Global Wind Oscillation (GWO), an uncooperative atmosphere has continued to cycle through a La Nina base state.

This suggests a winter precipitation outlook with a La Nina flavor -- similar to last year. This precipitation map, generated by the ESRL-PSD Composite ENSO plots page, shows the mean November-March precipitation for the U.S. during 9 La Niña events from 1948 to the present. The average La Niña rainfall indicated for coastal Southern California is in the 7.0-10.5 inch range. Last season's November-March rainfall in Downtown Los Angeles was about 12 inches.

Here's the current Nov-Dec-Jan precipitation outlook issued October 16 by the Climate Prediction Center. The "EC" means an equal chance of below normal, near normal, or above normal precipitation. The IRI Multi Model Seasonal Forecast for Nov-Dec-Jan is similar. We'll see!

Update 11/4/08. Here are the NWS Public Information Statements with preliminary rainfall totals for the period from Friday evening to Sunday morning, and from overnight last night to 10:00 a.m. this morning. The current Climate Prediction Center 6-10 day and 8-14 Precipitation Outlooks project below normal rainfall for Southern California. In Atmospheric Insights, Ed Berry paints a scenario with an extended North Pacific Jet collapsing into a strong western U.S. trough in the week 2-3 timeframe. We'll see!

Update 11/1/08. Did a trail run this morning in the Pt. Mugu State Park Area. Over the course of 3+ hours watched 2-3 waves of convection march northeast from the Santa Barbara Channel across the Oxnard Plain. We were showered on a few times, but were very happy to be east of these training T-storms and heavy rain. Here is a NWS Public Information Statement with some rainfall totals as of 11:00 a.m.

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.

Sunday's storm added more rain to Southern California's unexpectedly wet water year totals, and more snow to the Sierra snowpack. This rain season western storms have reduced drought classifications by as much as three steps in some areas of California and four in Arizona.

As of February 4, Downtown Los Angeles (USC- KCQT) has recorded 12.13 inches of rain since July 1-- about 4.5 inches above normal for the date. Here is an archived PDF of a NWS Public Information Statement with some preliminary rainfall totals for Sunday's storm.

Sierra snow course measurements for February 1 are coming in and manual measurements are confirming what automatic snow sensors have already reported -- that the Sierra snowpack is well above normal for the date.

Will the wet western weather continue? The GFS and ECMWF medium range models, and NCEP and PSD ensembles are forecasting a generally quiescent, rain free period for Southern California over the next several days, and into the extended period. Today's NWS 6-10 Day and 8-14 Day Precipitation Outlooks for Southern California are indicating Below Normal precipitation.

However, there are suggestions (see Atmospheric Insights) that sometime around February 15-20, the currently active MJO may more or less phase with the GWO, and amplify La Nina to produce a energetic, extended Pacific jet and west coast trough, similar to what occurred around January 3, 2008. We'll see!

More information concerning Southern California weather can be found using our WEATHER LINKS page.