El Niño in Baltimore, MD
In 2 of 3 past super El Niño winters, Baltimore was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in all 3.
The wettest of them was 2015–16: 15.07 inches, 155% of normal — 4th wettest of 87.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Baltimore; record since Dec–Feb 1939–40.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 9.42 in−0.28 in vs normal · 97%41st wettest of 87 | 37.6 °F+0.4 °F vs normaltied 29th warmest of 87 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 14.11 in+4.41 in vs normal · 146%7th wettest of 87 | 41.2 °F+4.0 °F vs normal4th warmest of 87 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 15.07 in+5.37 in vs normal · 155%4th wettest of 87 | 40.4 °F+3.2 °F vs normal8th warmest of 87 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 9.7 in | 37.2 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 87 winters for precipitation, 87 for temperature. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Baltimore precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Baltimore
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Baltimore in the 40–50% area for above-normal precipitation, and in the 40–50% area for above-normal temperature.
Read from the contours of CPC’s seasonal outlook issued October 15, 2026 — the area the city falls in on a continental-scale map, not a forecast made for the city. CPC seasonal outlook maps. CPC reissues it monthly.
Read next
- What El Niño means for the Northeast and Midwest
- Maryland statewide in the same three winters (against a 1901–2000 normal, so the departures differ from this page)
- Winter 2026–27 outlook
- Current El Niño status
Other cities in the Northeast climate region: New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh, Providence. All 50 cities