With cooler weekend weather trends helping to strengthen the demand outlook in a market already concerned about supply availability, natural gas futures advanced in early trading Monday. The May Nymex contract was up 17.3 cents to $6.451/MMBtu at around 8:50 a.m. ET.

NGI Morning Natural Gas Price & Markets Coverage

Weather models trended cooler over the weekend, advertising stronger cooling for the eastern half of the Lower 48 over the next 10 to 12 days, according to Bespoke Weather Services.

“It appears that a warmer trend may develop toward the very end of the month, which we’d expect to persist into early May, given the continuation of the La Niña base state, something that should be a mainstay well into the summer season as well,” Bespoke said.

Meanwhile, the latest estimates showed production rising to around...