El Niño in Omaha, NE
In 1 of 3 past super El Niño winters, Omaha was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in all 3.
The wettest of them was 2015–16: 6.99 inches, 234% of normal — 2nd wettest of 77.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Omaha; record since Dec–Feb 1948–49.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 2.71 in−0.28 in vs normal · 91%32nd wettest of 77 | 29.3 °F+2.5 °F vs normal15th warmest of 76 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 2.98 in−0.01 in vs normal · 100%25th wettest of 77 | 30.9 °F+4.1 °F vs normaltied 6th warmest of 76 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 6.99 in+4.00 in vs normal · 234%2nd wettest of 77 | 30.7 °F+3.9 °F vs normaltied 8th warmest of 76 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 2.99 in | 26.8 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 77 winters for precipitation, 76 for temperature (1 incomplete winters are left out). Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Omaha precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Omaha
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Omaha 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: Lincoln, Sioux Falls. All 50 cities