El Niño in Cincinnati, OH
In 1 of 3 past super El Niño winters, Cincinnati was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in all 3.
The wettest of them was 2015–16: 12.73 inches, 122% of normal — 12th wettest of 78.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Cincinnati; record since Dec–Feb 1948–49.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 6.94 in−3.47 in vs normal · 67%15th driest of 78 | 36.9 °F+2.9 °F vs normal11th warmest of 77 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 9.1 in−1.31 in vs normal · 87%38th driest of 78 | 39.1 °F+5.1 °F vs normalthe warmest of 77 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 12.73 in+2.32 in vs normal · 122%12th wettest of 78 | 37.8 °F+3.8 °F vs normal7th warmest of 77 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 10.41 in | 34 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 78 winters for precipitation, 77 for temperature. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Cincinnati precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Cincinnati
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Cincinnati 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 Northeast and Midwest
- Ohio 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 Ohio Valley climate region: Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbus, Indianapolis, Cleveland. All 50 cities