North America gas weekly update: A quick warm-up likely ends peak winter weather

After a near-record warm January, February’s colder episodes are only providing a brief interruption in the overriding warmth. In fact, minus November, winter to date has had well below-normal heating degree days (HDDs) versus the 30-year normal. Although March and April HDDs can still be respectable, the drop from peak winter soon impending is significant. With little hope left of the market tightening on additional winter weather, the restart at Freeport LNG is eagerly awaited. That said, the market may still be disappointed if initial cargos originate from LNG in storage at the facility rather than from a speedy return of full liquefaction volumes.