The rare ‘triple dip’ of La Niña was the first time in the 21st century the system appeared three years in a row. He noted that the 2015-16 El Niño was one of the strongest on record, but failed to deliver significant rain, flooding and other anticipated effects in Southern California, ultimately dropping only about 6 inches of rain.Ĭalifornia Odds of El Niño returning to California are increasing. “Any time we talk about El Niño, historically, rainfall totals in Southern California have been above normal in most cases - but not all,” Boldt said. However, he added that it is not a guarantee. In Southern California, just about any category of El Niño - weak, moderate or strong - can bring above-normal precipitation in Southern California, Boldt said, meaning there is potential for two back-to-back wet years following this year’s unexpectedly soggy winter. The World Meteorological Organization recently predicted there is a 98% likelihood that at least one of the next five years - and the five-year period as a whole - will be the warmest on record. “There’s a lot of talk that this coming year could be one of the warmest on record,” Boldt said. KEkExCC3Hc- NWS Climate Prediction Center June 8, 2023Įric Boldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said it’s not a coincidence that the Earth’s warmest year on record, 2016, was an El Niño year. El Niño conditions are present and are expected to gradually strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere winter 2023-24.

San diego rain totals