Inches

“That’s what 20 inches of snow in Chicago will do for you,” aHouston-based producer said Monday in reference to the severeholiday weekend blizzard in the Midwest that propelled cash pricesupward by 20 cents or more at many points. What was being calledthe region’s worst winter storm in more than three decades leftfreezing temperatures across the eastern three-fourths of thenation and very strong heating load.

Cash prices slipped lower in most areas yesterday, giving backweather-driven gains earlier in the week. Sources blamed theweakness mainly on the inability of the June futures contract tomuster considerable gains, along with forecasts of moderatingtemperatures going into the weekend. With the exception of minorgains in Sumas and Stanfield, most trading areas lost between 3-5cents Tuesday.