For Portland, Seattle, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, San Diego and even Palm Springs it’s been a December to remember because of record rain and at times, flooding.
The opposite of what we expect in a solid La Nina year
This time the southwestern U.S. was hardest hit. Almost like it was El Nino behind the wheel of these storms. I’ve spent Monday December 21, 2010, researching these incredible numbers. I was surprised by them myself! In addition to the flooding and slides in San Diego, Las Vegas and Los Angeles I have some new video tonight I’ll show at 11. It’s of an entire house carried away in Arizona by flood waters. Also, Salt Lake City sits at 225% of average rain to this point in December and Palm Springs is at 243%. But I didn’t have room on the graphic.
The northwest seems tame compared to the southwest. But when it comes to La Nina and Climate Change or other big climate drivers you have to look past individual weather events like these California storms that hit for just a few days.Â
The La Nina outlook
La Nina continues to call for a drier than average winter in the desert southwest and a wetter than average winter in the northwest. That was definitely true for fall around the west with the exception of its final few days.
 Los Angeles has now had more rain in December than Portland, Oregon. That’s an exception that won’t last too long!
Is the LA rain fall over Portland a first? Not sure I have ever heard that before.
Chris–great question. Although it is rare, it did happen just last winter. But in that case, it wasn’t as big of a surprise because it was an El Nino year. Statistically speaking, those are the wettest and stormiest winters for Southern California. And those tend to be the driest winters for the Northwest. But overall, you’re right, Portland wins when it comes to rain!