0944 ET – U.S. natural gas futures rise as overnight forecasts add heat to the weather outlook for a likely increase in power-sector demand. “National demand will be high to very high the next 10 days as an impressively strong ridge of high pressure sets up across much of the southern 2/3 of the U.S., focused from Texas to the Southeast and where highs of 90s and 100s will be widespread,” Nat Gas Weather.com says in a note.

The weather pattern suggests near to smaller-than-usual inventory builds that could reduce the storage surplus to 160 Bcf-170 Bcf from the current 195 Bcf, the forecaster adds. Nymex natural gas is up 1.5% at $2.809/mm Btu.