Natural gas futures retreated on Tuesday as traders brushed off a significant drop in production tied to pipeline maintenance. With rain and wind continuing to batter South Texas in the wake of Tropical Storm Harold and a parade of disturbances meandering across the Atlantic, the Nymex September gas futures contract fell 7.2 cents to $2.5650/MMBtu. October futures dropped 9.1 cents to $2.652.

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Spot gas traded sideways on Tuesday, though large discounts across the Western United States sent NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. down 4.0 cents to $2.355.

With recent cooler trends in the weather data, traders have become increasingly aware of the bearish implications that may lie ahead for gas prices that largely have relied on heat for support this summer.

While scorching temperatures...