With more and more utilities counting on natural gas to help power their plants and deliver electricity, temperature forecasts are critical. Higher and prolonged summer temperatures increase electricity demand, which in turn increases the demand for natural gas. A new research report from the energy team at RBC points out that the six to 14 day forecast calls for warmer-than-normal temperatures along the East and West Coasts and normal temperatures in the Midwest, which should help gas prices hold steady. The near-term Henry Hub gas prices have held firm above $4.50 per million-cubic-feet for the past three weeks.

Companies that are more focused on natural gas production may be an outstanding trade to take advantage of this warmer weather that is kicking off the summer. RBC highlighted some top names to buy that have a larger percentage of natural gas production. We screened that list for stocks the firm rated Outperform.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC) leads of the list with 52.2% of 2014 production expected to be natural gas. The company is one of the biggest independent oil and gas producers in the country, with exploration or production work in all major domestic drilling areas, as well as in South America, Africa, Asia and New Zealand. Worldwide, natural gas makes up just over half of Anadarko’s reserves, but 87% of the new wells it drilled in the United States last year were gas wells. The company has daily production over 2.6 billion cubic feet. Investors are paid a 1% dividend. The RBC price target for the stock is $116. The Thomson/First Call consensus price target is $1167.23. Anadarko closed Friday at $111.55 a share.

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Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN) is expected to have 48% of its total 2014 production in natural gas. The company is an independent driller primarily active in the United States. More than 70% of Devon’s U.S. reserves are in natural gas, with most of that lying in Texas’s Barnett Shale. The company plans to invest more than $1.1 billion this year in the Eagle Ford Shale and drill more than 200 wells. Daily production is just under 2 billion cubic feet. Investors are paid a 1.2% dividend. The RBC price target is $81. The consensus target is $81.12. Devon closed Friday at $78.95.

EQT Corp. (NYSE: EQT) is expected to have a stunning 99% of its production come in as natural gas. The company’s superior cost structure and above-average growth may help it exploit stable and rising natural gas prices. With an increasing reserve structure and a projected higher number of Marcellus wells to be drilled in the coming five years, the company exhibits industry-leading organic growth momentum. Investors are paid a tiny 0.1% dividend. RBC has a $116 price target, and the consensus target is $117.88. EQT closed Friday at $109.53.

Newfield Exploration Co. (NYSE: NFX) is expected to come in with almost 44% of its production in natural gas. The company is in the last stage of executing its strategic decision to sell all of its overseas assets in order to concentrate on its U.S. operations. The sale of the company’s Chinese assets, the last leg of the transformation, is expected at the end of 2014. The stock has had an outstanding 2014, up more than 30% year-to-date. The RBC price target is $46, and the consensus number is set at $43.21. Newfield closed Friday’s trading at $43.23.

Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL) should have almost 54% of its total 2014 production in the form of natural gas. The company is one of the many American firms expected to benefit when Mexico opens the door for exploration and production from outside companies for the first time in 70 years. The company has substantially increased its spending to take advantage of higher oil and gas prices. Investors are paid a small 0.9% dividend. The RBC price target is $81, and the consensus figure is at $84.86. Nobel closed trading Friday at $78.64.

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While temperature forecasts are always subject to change, weather models have become increasingly accurate. Should the temperatures soar even more than predicted, natural gas use could go up exponentially. The RBC stocks rated Outperform could do that as well, if we see an overall hot summer.

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