El Niño in Boston, MA
In all 3 past super El Niño winters, Boston was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in all 3.
The wettest of them was 1997–98: 12.58 inches, 116% of normal — 24th wettest of 90.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Boston; record since Dec–Feb 1936–37.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 11.3 in+0.48 in vs normal · 104%39th wettest of 90 | 33.2 °F+0.4 °F vs normaltied 22nd warmest of 90 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 12.58 in+1.76 in vs normal · 116%24th wettest of 90 | 35 °F+2.2 °F vs normal9th warmest of 90 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 11.73 in+0.91 in vs normal · 108%tied 34th wettest of 90 | 37.9 °F+5.1 °F vs normal2nd warmest of 90 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 10.82 in | 32.8 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 90 winters for precipitation, 90 for temperature. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Boston precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Boston
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Boston in the 40–50% area for above-normal precipitation, and in the 50–60% 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
- Massachusetts 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, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Providence. All 50 cities