Natural gas futures climbed Monday as more intense winter weather loomed and forecasters predicted colder temperatures over the first half of December, increasing the likelihood of greater heating demand.

Gas Futures

The January Nymex contract rose 3.9 cents day/day to settle at $2.882/MMBtu after taking over as the prompt month following the Thanksgiving holiday. February advanced 3.3 cents to $2.865.

NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. soared 60.5 cents to $2.825 as temperatures were colder to start the week across the nation’s midsection following benign weather over the long holiday weekend. Chilly rains doused swaths of the East.

For futures, Bespoke Weather Services said the potential for a winter freeze after a warm November appeared to be the leading “catalyst for the move...