Bolstered by a stronger late-season heating demand outlook following colder weather model trends over the weekend break, natural gas futures surged higher in early trading Monday.

NGI Morning Natural Gas Price & Markets Coverage

The May Nymex contract was up 13.3 cents to $2.247/MMBtu at around 8:45 a.m. ET.

Weather models trended colder over the weekend for days eight through 15 of the outlook period, including a 13 heating degree day (HDD) increase from the European model, according to NatGasWeather.

Colder trends focused around a weather system expected to move into the central Lower 48 and then track across the Great Lakes and Northeast between this coming Sunday and April 26, the firm said.

“It’s not a frigid system, with lows only dropping into the 20s and 30s, but some demand was added, and this could be...