El Niño in Pittsburgh, PA
In none of the 3 past super El Niño winters, Pittsburgh was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in all 3.
The wettest of them was 2015–16: 7.98 inches, 93% of normal — 38th wettest of 78.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Pittsburgh; record since Dec–Feb 1948–49.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 5.57 in−3.02 in vs normal · 65%9th driest of 78 | 34.4 °F+1.9 °F vs normaltied 14th warmest of 76 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 7.5 in−1.09 in vs normal · 87%31st driest of 78 | 37.7 °F+5.2 °F vs normaltied 2nd warmest of 76 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 7.98 in−0.61 in vs normal · 93%38th wettest of 78 | 36.1 °F+3.6 °F vs normal7th warmest of 76 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 8.59 in | 32.5 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 78 winters for precipitation, 76 for temperature. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Pittsburgh precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Pittsburgh
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Pittsburgh 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
- Pennsylvania 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, Boston, Baltimore, Providence. All 50 cities