El Niño in Portland, OR
In all 3 past super El Niño winters, Portland was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in all 3.
The wettest of them was 2015–16: 26.58 inches, 185% of normal — the wettest of 88.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Portland; record since Dec–Feb 1938–39.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 22.18 in+7.79 in vs normal · 154%10th wettest of 88 | 44.5 °F+1.6 °F vs normaltied 11th warmest of 88 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 15.09 in+0.70 in vs normal · 105%43rd wettest of 88 | 44.2 °F+1.3 °F vs normaltied 17th warmest of 88 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 26.58 in+12.19 in vs normal · 185%the wettest of 88 | 45.7 °F+2.8 °F vs normal4th warmest of 88 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 14.39 in | 42.9 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 88 winters for precipitation, 88 for temperature. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Portland precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Portland
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Portland in equal chances of above-, near- or below-normal precipitation (no tilt either way), and in the 50–60% 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 Pacific Northwest
- Oregon 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 Northwest climate region: Seattle, Boise. All 50 cities