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Another Drought Year? El Nino Not the 'Great Wet Hope'
Now in its third drought year, Southern California could be facing another if a developing El Nino off the coast of South America comes August with not much force. "El Nino is El Wimpo," said Bill Patzert, climatologist for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge to the Daily News. "He's late. He's stunted. He's definitely not the great wet hope." For the last year, downtown LA has received 9.08 inches of rain, six inches below normal. Not good, but better than the 3.21 inches it saw the year previous. Because of that many cities have enacted water rationing ordinances. And this year could be no different as some climatologists are predicting another dry winter.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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