La Niña conditions will likely affect temperatures and precipitation across much of the United States during the next few months.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's latest temperature forecast updated Jan. 18 shows that there is a 40% or better chance that above-normal temperatures will prevail across much of the Northeast, the Southeast, the south-central U.S., Texas and parts of the West Coast through April. Southern Texas and areas of the Southwest have the highest chance of seeing above-average temperatures through the period.

The Midwest and regions of the Northeast, Northwest and the north-central U.S. have the greatest likelihood of experiencing average to below-normal conditions from February to April.

NOAA's forecast is also calling for above-normal precipitation for much of the Northeast, and regions of the Midwest, the north-central U.S. and the Pacific Northwest. Below-average precipitation levels are eyed for areas of the Southeast, the south-central U.S., Texas and the Southwest through April.

Updated forecasts from NOAA are calling for an 85% to 95% chance that weak La Niña conditions will continue through the spring.

Marked by cooler sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, La Niña is the counterpart to El Niño and typically brings more supportive fundamentals for U.S. natural gas and electricity markets, including a higher probability of colder winters, hotter summers and increased tropical activity in the Atlantic basin.