El Niño in Boise, ID
In 2 of 3 past super El Niño winters, Boise was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in all 3.
The wettest of them was 1982–83: 4.86 inches, 123% of normal — 25th wettest of 86.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Boise; record since Dec–Feb 1940–41.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 4.86 in+0.90 in vs normal · 123%25th wettest of 86 | 37.2 °F+3.5 °F vs normal7th warmest of 86 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 4.78 in+0.82 in vs normal · 121%27th wettest of 86 | 36.6 °F+2.9 °F vs normal11th warmest of 86 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 3.22 in−0.74 in vs normal · 81%30th driest of 86 | 35.6 °F+1.9 °F vs normaltied 20th warmest of 86 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 3.96 in | 33.7 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 86 winters for precipitation, 86 for temperature. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Boise precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Boise
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Boise in equal chances of above-, near- or below-normal precipitation (no tilt either way), 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 Pacific Northwest
- Idaho 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 Northwest climate region: Seattle, Portland. All 50 cities