El Niño in Charlotte, NC
In all 3 past super El Niño winters, Charlotte was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in 2 of 3.
The wettest of them was 2015–16: 15.48 inches, 152% of normal — 7th wettest of 84.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Charlotte; record since Dec–Feb 1939–40.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 12.26 in+2.07 in vs normal · 120%tied 23rd wettest of 84 | 43.5 °F−1.5 °F vs normaltied 41st coldest of 83 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 13.64 in+3.45 in vs normal · 134%16th wettest of 84 | 45.5 °F+0.5 °F vs normaltied 22nd warmest of 83 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 15.48 in+5.29 in vs normal · 152%7th wettest of 84 | 47.4 °F+2.4 °F vs normal10th warmest of 83 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 10.19 in | 45 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 84 winters for precipitation, 83 for temperature (3 incomplete winters are left out). Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Charlotte precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Charlotte
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Charlotte in the 50–60% area for above-normal precipitation, and in the 33–40% 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 Gulf Coast and Southeast
- North Carolina 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 Southeast climate region: Miami, Washington, Atlanta, Tampa, Orlando, Virginia Beach–Norfolk. All 50 cities