El Niño in Lincoln, NE
In 2 of 3 past super El Niño winters, Lincoln was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in all 3.
The wettest of them was 2015–16: 6.02 inches, 216% of normal — the wettest of 60.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Lincoln; record since Dec–Feb 1948–49.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 3.55 in+0.76 in vs normal · 127%12th wettest of 60 | 29.9 °F+2.1 °F vs normal17th warmest of 59 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 2.7 in−0.09 in vs normal · 97%25th wettest of 60 | 31.3 °F+3.5 °F vs normal9th warmest of 59 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 6.02 in+3.23 in vs normal · 216%the wettest of 60 | 31.7 °F+3.9 °F vs normal6th warmest of 59 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 2.79 in | 27.8 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 60 winters for precipitation, 59 for temperature (18 incomplete winters are left out). Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Lincoln precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Lincoln
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Lincoln in the 33–40% 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 United States
- Nebraska 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 Northern Rockies and Plains climate region: Omaha, Sioux Falls. All 50 cities