Natural gas prices advanced in February bidweek trading as markets absorbed the demand impacts of cold winter blasts that permeated the nation’s midsection and parts of the East. Anticipation of a massive snowstorm smacking the East Coast early this week and extending the winter freeze added to the momentum.

NGI’s February Bidweek National Avg. climbed 13.0 cents month/month to $2.825/MMBtu, which represented a $1.015 premium to February 2020 bidweek.

Several demand hubs in the nation’s midsection and the East, where freezing low temperatures were widespread over the final days of January, fueled the overall increase during bidweek trading.

In the Midwest, Chicago Citygate climbed 26.5 cents to $2.600 and Lebanon jumped 34.5 to $2.620.

Northeast prices were also...