In terms of sensible weather analogs in the region, 1988 is about as good of a match as you could get since mid March.
Even with a couple of big spikes, 1988 would be an extremely tolerable summer by today's standards. Although I could do without the gross October.
I didn't say that. But I made the same sort of comparison you made from Ninos back then to Ninos during the 80s-00s. With Ninas.
Some might say it had more to do with the era than ENSO.