Should you expect a warm spring 2025? Maps show NOAA's weather outlook

• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its spring weather outlook this week.
• The outlook predicts warmer temperatures throughout the South and East Coast and colder temperatures in the Northwest.
• NOAA predicts a drier spring for the Southwest and wetter season for the Northwest and Appalachia.

Punxsutawney Phil may have signaled six more weeks of winter, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has its own predictions for spring.

The NOAA released its three-month weather outlook this week, analyzing the temperature and precipitation predictions for March through May.

La Niña, the climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean responsible for cooler-than-average temperatures, remains in full force, but forecasters estimate a 66% chance of a switch to more neutral weather this spring, the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center reported.

Here's what weather may be expected this spring.

South, Southeast and East Coast to experience warmer-than-normal temperatures

NOAA forecasts temperatures to be above normal throughout the South, Southeast and East Coast this spring.

There is a 50-60% chance that temperatures will be above normal in parts of the Southwest, southern Texas, southern Gulf States, including Florida and southern Georgia, the NOAA reports.

Throughout all of the East Coast, there is a 40-50% chance that temperatures will be higher than normal.

The northern-most part of Alaska will also experience warmer temperatures.

Colder-then-normal temperatures expected in the Northwest

On the flip side, there is a 40-50% chance that temperatures will be colder throughout the northern-most parts of Washington, Idaho and Montana, NOAA reports.

The west coast and almost all of the Midwest may expect normal temperatures this spring.

A drier Southwest

The majority of the Southwest, and even some of the Midwest, are expected to see less precipitation than normal this spring, NOAA reports, perpetuating the regions' drought.

Specifically, there is a 50-60% chance that there will be less precipitation than normal throughout most of Utah, eastern New Mexico, southeastern Arizona and southwestern Colorado. Drier weather is expected radiating out from these four states.

There is also a 33-40% chance that the Gulf Coast will experience less precipitation than normal this spring, NOAA reports.

Northwest, Appalachia to see more precipitation than normal

There is a 40-50% chance that there will be more precipitation this spring in the Northwest, Great Lakes and interior Northeast, in addition to the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, NOAA reports.

The East Coast and much of the northern United States should expect average precipitation.

The NOAA's "climatic normals" are based on weather conditions analyzed between 1991 and 2020, according to the NWS Climate Prediction Center.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].