The linked LA Times article indicates that to date most of this wet season's rain/snow has been in Northern California (due to an unusually persistent high pressure system to the Southwest of California), but experts believe that by the end of January through February the Southland will be more "Pineapple Express" storms:
http://www.latimes.com/local/weather/la-me-el-nino-nor-cal-20160119-story.htmlExtract: "One reason why storms haven't been able to get through to Southern California in recent weeks is an area of high pressure southwest of the state that has been unusually persistent, Stanford University climate scientist Daniel Swain said.
Although the forecast does not show any signs of major storms in the next week in the Southland, there appears to be a window of opportunity for significant precipitation to return shortly after that, Swain said.
Computer models suggest that there will be a burst of energy in the jet stream later in January.
The pattern suggests that "if there are any storms in the pipeline at the end of January, they will be able to both have a trajectory that might bring them into Southern California and it might allow them to maintain their strength," Swain said.
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Experts say it's possible that the classic El Niño-influenced pattern could emerge by late January or early February. That would put it more in line with how the most punishing series of storms arrived in February 1998 and March of 1983.
"As we look back, the big show is usually in February, March — even into April and May," Patzert said. "So, in many ways, this is on schedule."
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"This thing is getting ready to have a second peak," Patzert said. "I think El Niño will live up to its hype, but you have to be patient.""