Moving into March and beyond, warmer temperatures in the southern U.S. and Arctic air hitting the Northeast are common in La Niña years. But there are signs in the southern oscillation index (SOI) that La Niña is fading, so those conditions aren’t guaranteed. The latest models show conditions building that are similar to 2020, most notably temperatures in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. That means dry conditions in the Northern Plains, South and Southeast, which could add to drought pressure where it’s already a cause for concern. In the meantime, the next week will keep temperatures in the deepfreeze for much of the central U.S., especially where there’s heavy snow cover, while the Southeast will see a lot of precipitation fueled by the convergence of the jet stream and warm, wet air moving up through the Gulf of Mexico. See more from the latest short- and long-term outlook.