Traders looked past the arrival of below-average temperatures this week and focused on strong production and expectations for mild mid-February weather, sending Natural gas futures lower on Monday.

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The March Nymex gas futures contract, in its first regular session as the prompt month, fell 17.2 cents day/day and settled at $2.677/MMBtu. April lost 14.7 cents to $2.731.

NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg., meanwhile, advanced 15.5 cents to $4.575 on the strength of freezing air in the Rocky Mountains and central United States pushing to the East.

NatGasWeather said powerful cold shots would impact much of the Lower 48 this week, bolstering near-term demand and cash prices. But futures traders fixated on mid-range weather models that shifted warmer beginning next week.

The...