Weekly natural gas cash prices rode a roller coaster of steep gains and losses in the volatile Northeast, where bidding on natural gas tends to swing more than other regions due to limited pipeline capacity and erratic weather.

Ultimately, prices in the region settled firmly in positive territory as forecasters warned of a major winter storm expected to form along the East Coast over the weekend. The Nor’easter was forecast to deliver freezing air, several feet of snow and dangerous winds. NGI’s Weekly Spot Gas National Avg. for the Jan. 24-28 period followed the Northeast’s lead, gaining 34.0 cents to $6.495.

By the close of the trading week, Iroquois Zone 1 had gained $5.735 to $20.590, while Maritimes & Northeast was up $2.325 to $23.290 and Dracut was ahead $1.625 to...