Cold-Driven Demand Tightens U.S. Natural Gas Balances

December 31, 2025--Written by Aaron Studwell, Ph.D. for IIR News (Sugar Land, Texas)--U.S. natural gas markets have entered the heart of winter with demand running decidedly above seasonal norms, driven by a sustained period of below-normal temperatures across major regions for consumption. The result has been a drastically tighter supply-demand balance, heightened storage draw risk, and increased price sensitivity to near-term weather forecasts.Recent data show total U.S. natural gas demand ris