ons between the effects of the El Ni±o on the two areas were made on the basis the percentage
difference from the averages that characterized the changes in the two measures during the 1982-1983 El Ni±o period.
El Ni±o Effects in Denver and Los Angeles:Precipitation and Temperature
Precipitation and temperature effects of the El Ni±o of 1982-1983 on the Denver Metropolitan Area and the Los Angeles Basin are developed for the inclusive period September 1982 through August 1983. Precipitation effects (in inches) are presented in Chart 1 and temperature effects (in degrees) are presented in Chart 2, which may be found on pages 3 and 4 respectively. Precipitation effects (as a percent of the norm) are presented in Chart 3 and temperature effects (as a percent of the norm) are presented in Chart 4, which may be found on pages 5 and 6 respectively.
As the data presented in Chart 1 indicate, The September through December 1982 period was much wetter than the historic norm in Denver, while the September-October 1982 period in Los Angeles was much wetter than the historic norm. The unusually heavy rains in the Los Angeles area caused houses to slide off hillsides (Current causes, 1983, p. 27). Chart 1
Precipitation (Inches) Effects of the El Ni±o of 1982-1983 on the Denver Metropolitan Area and the Los Angeles Basin
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Month/Year Denver Los Angeles ---------------------- ---------------------- Norm Actual Effect Norm Actual Effect
----------- ---- ------ ------ ---- ------ ------
Sep 82 1.2 2.4 + 1.2 0.3 0.6 + 0.3
Oct 82 1.0 0.4 - 0.6 0.2 4.7 + 4.5
Nov 82 0.8 3.0 ...