Louisiana Preliminary Winter Climate Review

By Jay Grymes

Louisiana State Climatologist

LOSC preliminary assessment indicates that the 2025-26 winter (Dec 1 thru Feb 28) was a “warm” and “dry” one across Louisiana, fitting the climatic patterns expected for an ENSO/La Niña phase winter.

The seasonal average temperature of 53.8°F was 2° above the normal (based on 1991-2020) and ranks among the “warmest” 20% of all winters based on NCEI* historical data.  The 2025-26 winter is the “warmest,” on average, of the past three Louisiana winters, although a look at recent winters shows that most have been “warm” when compared against the 30-year normal.

Statewide winter rainfall averaged below-the-norm for each of the three months, with Louisiana’s overall winter average rainfall coming in at 10.43”, 5.13” below the 1991-2020 average.  It’s the first “dry” winter since 2021-22, ranking as the 13th “driest” winter (tied with 1970-71) of NCEI’s 131 winter season assessments for Louisiana.

It is important to recognize that these are seasonal climatological assessments.  Although the three-month period was warmer-than-normal in terms of a seasonal average, we still managed some uncharacteristically cold days during the 90-day spell, including a handful of record and near-record lows around the Bayou State thanks to several Arctic outbreaks. 

In terms of a “dry,” drought-laden winter, there were some locations that dealt with locally-heavy rains of relatively short durations, and not all parishes were drier-than-normal for each of the three winter months.  At this time of year, rainfall for Louisiana can be highly variable, both spatially and temporally.

NCEI* - NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Information