Overnight weather models extended a recent cold shift in the forecasts, giving natural gas futures continued upward momentum in early trading Wednesday. The expiring February Nymex contract was up 6.2 cents to $2.718/MMBtu at around 8:40 a.m. ET, while the March contract was trading 6.0 cents higher to $2.696.

NGI Morning Natural Gas Price & Markets Coverage

Another round of colder-trending weather data had the latest 15-day forecast from Bespoke Weather Services leaning to the chillier side of 30-year norms, the firm said in a note to clients early Wednesday.

“Much of the colder change the last several days has been centered around more storm-induced variability than projected a week ago as opposed to a true cold outbreak coming out of Canada, but that narrative changes in the 11 to 15 day period, as a stronger cold air...