If you hate the cold, then you may not like this weather prediction. The below-normal cold and snowy weather, many have come to dread, could be sticking around well into the spring season. This prediction comes as meteorologists have released one of their first early spring weather forecasts.

Not all these forecasts coincide, though just about every meteorologist had predicted a potentially brutal winter for the Northeast around last October.

Temperatures may vary up and down for months, as forecasters say that areas in New York and the Northeast may experience “cold air winning the battle more often than springlike warmth”.

Winter-Like Cold Will Persist in New York State, According to Spring Forecast

AccuWeather Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok says that winter-like cold will last well into spring across areas in the Northeast. Pastelok said that  “a slower transition to persistent spring warmth can occur from the northern Rockies to the Northeast”.

Given the brutal cold brought on by the Polar Vortex dipping so far south into the U.S. this winter, this comes as little surprise.

Forecasters also say that melting snow could create a flood risk in parts of New York, as spring proceeds and temps finally warm above freezing. Snow could also linger if cold weather persists though early spring, though heavier rain could impact the area as we enter later into the season.

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every stateStacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA’s State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

Gallery Credit: Anuradha Varanasi

What is La Niña? 

A La Niña is a phenomenon that produces cooler than average water temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean. It is not to be confused with El Niño, which is where warmer water temperatures occur in that part of the world. Both can greatly affect weather around the world.

AccuWeather forecasters use weather phenomena like La Niña or El Niño to make their long-range predictions, which influence weather patterns for months to come.

However, meteorologists say that a La Niña “may not officially develop this winter, but there could be times during the season when the weather patterns act the way they do when La Niña is occurring”.

The Climate Prediction Center says that a La Niña usually pushes the jet stream further south during the winter months. As for the Northeast, experts say that precipitation could be more in the form of rain, if it stays warm enough this winter.