weather

After a cooler than normal March across much of the country, warmer than normal temperatures will dominate the U.S. weather map during April and May, and early indications are that summer temperatures will be above normal in the East, according to forecaster WSI Corp. of Andover, MA. Spring temperatures are expected to be cooler than normal north and west of a line from San Diego to Minneapolis.

After a cooler-than-normal March across much of the country, warmer-than-normal temperatures will dominate the U.S. weather map during April and May, and early indications are that summer temperatures will be above normal in the East, according to forecaster WSI Corp. of Andover, MA. Spring temperatures are expected to be cooler than normal north and west of a line from San Diego to Minneapolis.

Citing forecasts of cold weather, MRT said it will implement a System Protection Warning (SPW) effective Friday until further notice. See the bulletin board for SPW conditions. The new SPW will take effect only a day after a previous one was lifted (see Daily GPI, Feb. 14).

Affiliated pipelines Texas Eastern and Algonquin cited impending cold weather and high demand in saying they will restrict nominations creating due-pipe imbalances and resolving due-shipper imbalances starting Sunday until further notice. The restrictions will be enforced “regardless of the shipper’s cumulative imbalance,” the pipes said.

A large majority of the cash market was able to rebound Monday as a mass of arctic air, which The Weather Channel (TWC) characterized as bitterly cold, was due to move into the Plains and western Midwest behind a cold front Tuesday. A less severe cold front was in Tuesday’s forecast for the South.

ANR noted Thursday that weather forecasts in much of its market area for Friday through the upcoming weekend “project temperatures near or below zero degrees Fahrenheit.” In order to preserve system integrity, ANR declared an Extreme Condition that begins Friday until further notice and will lower the “Swing Percentage” (imbalance tolerance) from 10% to 5%. In addition, ANR is not allowing any Unauthorized Overrun service under various rate schedules and will not schedule any Interruptible Park and Lend Service until further notice. See the bulletin board for information on hourly flow rate restrictions.

Citing the weather forecast and projected demand on its system, Southern Natural Gas declared that the Savannah Line and Cypress Line delivery groups were subject to an OFO Type 3 Level 2 Monday until further notice. Such an OFO indicates that daily demand exceeds capacity. Penalties of $15/Dth were set for “any shipper whose allocated deliveries at any delivery point(s) within the groups…exceed 102% of their daily entitlement at such delivery point,” Southern said.

Citing customer cooperation and warmer weather, Northwest said it will adjust the Overrun Entitlement for all Receiving Parties located north of the Plymouth Compressor Station — including the Grants Pass, Spokane and Wenatchee Laterals — to Stage III (13% tolerance for daily imbalances) effective Tuesday; the entitlement had previously been set as Stage II with 8% tolerance (see Daily GPI, Dec. 5). There is currently no declared entitlement south of Plymouth, Northwest said, but if Receiving Parties south of Plymouth begin drafting excessively, it may declare an entitlement there.

Citing forecasts of warmer weather in Florida and low linepack levels, Florida Gas Transmission issued an Overage Alert Day for market-area customers Thursday that carried a 25% tolerance for negative daily imbalances.