Helped by strengthening export volumes in the latest estimates early Wednesday, natural gas futures advanced ahead of the expiration of the October contract. 

NGI Morning Natural Gas Price & Markets Coverage

October Nymex futures were up 4.4 cents to $2.700/MMBtu at around 8:40 a.m. ET, while November was up 4.9 cents to $2.894.

Weather models added degree days overnight, but this was a result of hotter trends, meaning limited natural gas demand impacts at this point in the season, according to NatGasWeather.

The temperature outlook saw no major change overall, “with most of the U.S. experiencing perfect highs of 60s to 80s the next 15 days besides cooler 50s across the wet Northwest and hotter 90s across Texas and the Southwest,” the firm said. 

Longer-range forecasting was pointing to “strong high pressure over...