El Niño in Sioux Falls, SD
In 2 of 3 past super El Niño winters, Sioux Falls was wetter than normal. It was warmer than normal in all 3.
The wettest of them was 2015–16: 3 inches, 133% of normal — 19th wettest of 94.
History from three winters, not a forecast. Measured at one NOAA station, Sioux Falls; record since Dec–Feb 1932–33.
December–February in the three super El Niño winters
| Winter | Precipitation | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–83Dec 1982–Feb 1983 | 2.76 in+0.50 in vs normal · 122%tied 23rd wettest of 94 | 22.5 °F+2.7 °F vs normaltied 15th warmest of 94 |
| 1997–98Dec 1997–Feb 1998 | 1.43 in−0.83 in vs normal · 63%tied 29th driest of 94 | 26 °F+6.2 °F vs normaltied 5th warmest of 94 |
| 2015–16Dec 2015–Feb 2016 | 3 in+0.74 in vs normal · 133%19th wettest of 94 | 23.9 °F+4.1 °F vs normal10th warmest of 94 |
| Normal1991–2020 average | 2.26 in | 19.8 °F |
Ranks are within this station’s own record: 94 winters for precipitation, 94 for temperature. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, Sioux Falls precipitation and temperature, as of November 11, 2026.
This winter: where NOAA’s outlook places Sioux Falls
For December–February 2026–27, the Climate Prediction Center’s map places Sioux Falls in the 33–40% area for above-normal precipitation, 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 United States
- South Dakota 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, Lincoln. All 50 cities