Natural gas prices traded sideways much of Thursday before creeping upward and ultimately finishing in positive territory. Traders assessed a storage withdrawal that fell short of expectations against continued strong U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and the potential for colder domestic temperatures later in January.

EIA storage Jan 1

The February Nymex gas futures contract settled at $2.729, up 1.3 cents day/day. The prompt month has so far advanced each trading day of 2021 after finishing last year on a high note. March climbed seven-tenths of a cent to $2.691.

NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. pushed ahead as well, finishing up 6.5 cents to $2.765.

NatGasWeather said next week’s weather pattern “is quite bearish” with heating-degree days forecasted to be “a hefty 30-35 warmer...