Weathernotes Archive April 2001

Weathernotes for Monday, April 23, 2001

Friday night's rainfall was heavier than forecast by several of the computer models. Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded 0.33 inches of rain, but amounts of 0.50 inch or more were common. Mt. Wilson recorded 1.50 inches for the 24 hour period ending at 5 PM on Saturday. This set a new record for the date, surpassing 0.96 inches, set in 1963.

Today's CPC/NCEP Outlooks depicted "Below Normal" precipitation for the 6-10 day period and "Normal" for the 8-14 day period for Southern California. As we move into the late Spring and Summer dry season these forecasts become less meaningful, since the norm is little, if any, rainfall.

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

Weathernotes for Wednesday, April 18, 2001

It's been a snowy April in the Sierra Nevada. Mammoth Mountain has recorded nearly 4 feet of snow so far this month, and statewide the snowpack has increased by about 8%. And more snow is on the way!

Another cold, late season, Winter-like storm is forecast to bring snow to the Sierra and a chance of rain to Southern California.

At the moment the best chance of showers in Southern California appears to be Friday afternoon and evening.

The last significant rain in Los Angeles was April 7, when 0.77 inch was recorded downtown.

Yesterday's CPC/NCEP Outlooks depicted "Normal" precipitation for the 6-10 day period and "Normal" for the 8-14 day period for Southern California. Forecast confidence was 2 on a scale of 1-5. Note that in the context of Southern California's climatology that "Normal" precipitation for this time period is quite low.

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

Weathernotes for Friday, April 6, 2001

This last Saturday, kayaking on the Kern River, Spring had sprung, as they say. The hills were green, the sun bright, and the temperature was in the eighties. Awesome.

Not so this Saturday. A cold, Winter-like storm is forecast to bring late season snow to the Sierra and rain to Southern California, with snow at higher elevations.

Rain is expected in the basin overnight and into tomorrow with 0.25" to 0.50" in the lowlands, and perhaps double that in favored areas of the foothills and mountains.

This would be the first significant rain in the Los Angeles area since March 6, when 0.43 inch was recorded downtown.

Yesterday's CPC/NCEP Outlooks depicted "Above Normal" precipitation for the 6-10 day period and "Above Normal" for the 8-14 day period for Southern California. Forecast confidence was 3 on a scale of 1-5. Today's Week Two precipitation probability forecast from CDC, based on ensemble forecasts, flip-flopped from yesterday's somewhat above average to somewhat below average. We'll see!

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