Utilities in New York and New England are warning customers to expect higher residential heating bills this winter amid surging global natural gas demand and prices. 

National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp. said Thursday that for its residential customers in Western New York, it expects the average winter heating bill, i.e. for November through March, to be $714. This is up 43% from last winter’s $498 average, when temperatures were about 10% higher than normal, the National Fuel Gas Co. subsidiary said.

“Market prices for natural gas supplies have increased significantly from the historic lows experienced in the winters of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021,” the company said, citing that New York Mercantile Exchange natural gas pricing for winter delivery recently topped more than...