2013 May Be Driest Year on Record for San Fernando Valley

By City News Service

Woodland Hills and Burbank are on track to record their driest year ever, the National Weather Service said Monday. Also on track is downtown L.A. and other parts of the Los Angeles area. 

So far this year, rainfall in downtown has totaled 2.49 inches—26 percent of what should have been the normal volume to date—13.51 inches, according to an NWS advisory.

The normal yearly total for the area is 14.93 inches. The driest season in downtown L.A. was 3.21 inches during the 2006-2007 season.

"If rainfall at downtown Los Angeles for the remainder of the year totals .58 inches or less, 2013 will go down in the record books as the driest calendar year since records began in 1877," said the advisory.

Showers are forecast for Thursday, but less than a quarter-inch of rain is expected, forecasters said.

Also poised to have driest years ever are LAX, Long Beach Airport and UCLA.