Temperatures and Precipitation during El Niño Years in the Midwest
Dr. Jim Angel, State Climatologist
The temperature and precipitation for the Midwest (IL,
IN, IA, KY, MI, MN, MO, OH, and WI) were examined during previous El Niño events. The
rank is based on data for the Midwest back to 1895. The temperature rankings go from
coldest to warmest. The precipitation rankings go from driest to wettest.
While there appears to be some impact of El Niño on the
climate in the Midwestern, a wide spectrum of climate conditions have occurred during past
events. This illustrates that there are other factors influencing our climate, perhaps the
most important is the natural variability of the climate system.
Table 1. Summer (June
- July - August) during El Niño events. Only those years when a strong signal was present
were used.
| |
Temperature |
Precipitation |
| Year |
Rank |
Departure from Normal |
Rank |
Departure from Normal |
| 1951 |
16 |
-1.9°F |
96 |
+21% |
| 1957 |
61 |
+0.2°F |
79 |
+7% |
| 1963 |
51 |
-0.2°F |
23 |
-10% |
| 1965 |
17 |
-1.7°F |
53 |
-1% |
| 1969 |
29 |
-1.1°F |
84 |
+9% |
| 1972 |
20 |
-1.7°F |
67 |
+4% |
| 1976 |
45 |
-0.5°F |
5 |
-24% |
| 1982 |
10 |
-2.4°F |
77 |
+6% |
| 1987 |
85 |
+1.4°F |
80 |
+7% |
| 1991 |
83 |
+1.4°F |
10 |
-21% |
Table 2. Fall (September - October - November) during El Niño events.
Only those years when a strong signal was present were used.
| |
Temperature |
Precipitation |
| Year |
Rank |
Departure from Normal |
Rank |
Departure from Normal |
| 1951 |
5 |
-3.2°F |
75 |
+14% |
| 1957 |
25 |
-1.6°F |
64 |
+5% |
| 1963 |
101 |
+4.1°F |
4 |
-45% |
| 1965 |
48 |
-0.4°F |
83 |
+23% |
| 1969 |
30 |
-1.4°F |
54 |
-1% |
| 1972 |
18 |
-2.0°F |
90 |
+27% |
| 1976 |
1 |
-5.0°F |
6 |
-43% |
| 1982 |
46 |
-0.5°F |
74 |
+13% |
| 1986 |
39 |
-0.7°F |
99 |
+45% |
| 1987 |
44 |
-0.6°F |
6 |
-37% |
| 1991 |
16 |
-2.2°F |
88 |
+25% |
Table 3. Winter (December - January - February) during El Niño events.
Only those years when a strong signal was present were used.
| |
Temperature |
Precipitation |
| Year |
Rank |
Departure from Normal |
Rank |
Departure from Normal |
| 1951-52 |
86 |
+1.9°F |
76 |
+13% |
| 1957-58 |
61 |
+0.4°F |
27 |
-15% |
| 1963-64 |
38 |
-1.2°F |
4 |
-44% |
| 1965-66 |
48 |
-0.4°F |
56 |
0% |
| 1969-70 |
18 |
-3.5°F |
7 |
-34% |
| 1972-73 |
56 |
+0.0°F |
64 |
+5% |
| 1976-77 |
6 |
-6.8°F |
3 |
-47% |
| 1982-83 |
100 |
+5.1°F |
77 |
+14% |
| 1986-87 |
96 |
+4.2°F |
6 |
-37% |
| 1987-88 |
42 |
-1.0°F |
80 |
+16% |
| 1991-92 |
101 |
+5.2°F |
31 |
-12% |
Table 4. Spring (March - April - May) during El Niño events. Only those
years when a strong signal was present were used. Note that this is the spring after El
Niño starts.
| |
Temperature |
Precipitation |
| Year |
Rank |
Departure from Normal |
Rank |
Departure from Normal |
| 1958 |
54 |
+0.0°F |
12 |
-28% |
| 1983 |
21 |
-1.8°F |
98 |
+23% |
| 1987 |
101 |
+4.5°F |
16 |
-26% |
| 1992 |
59 |
+0.3°F |
18 |
-23% |