Natural gas prices hit $6 as Winter Storm Fern brings extreme cold
A worker shovels snow during a winter storm in Lower Manhattan in New York, USA, on Sunday, January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm reached the U.S. East Coast Sunday morning after dumping ice and snow on much of the country, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without power and causing a wave of flight cancellations that could last for days.
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WE natural gas prices It rose above $6 on Monday for the first time since late 2022 as a major winter storm ripped through the country, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power and causing mass flight cancellations.
Natural gas futures for February delivery rose 18%, or 95 cents, to $6.2 per million British thermal units at 8:15 a.m. London time (3:15 a.m. ET), hitting a new 52-week high.
For the first time, the contract has increased by around 68% since the beginning of the year, It has risen above the $6 level since December 2022, when European demand for US liquefied natural gas surged following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier in the year.
More than 822,000 customers were without power following a severe winter storm late Sunday afternoon. Power Outage.usCollecting real-time power outage data from utilities across the country.
The big freeze known as Winter Storm Fern will bring widespread heavy snowfall and “destructive ice accumulations“From the Southern Rockies to New England over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) affecting At least 180 million people in 37 states.
NWS reports wind chills as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit (-45.56 degrees Celsius) will continue this week across the eastern two-thirds of the United States in question Temperatures well below normal are expected to continue into early February, according to a social media post on Sunday.
Extreme cold caused seven deaths across the country. NBC News reportedreferring to local authorities.
More than 12,500 flights were canceled in the United States on Sunday. FlightAware reportedThere have been 3,965 more cancellations so far on Monday. Delta Airlineshad previously encouraged travelers to rebook flights; in question On Sunday, it announced plans to operate on a reduced schedule because icy conditions disrupted operations.
Capitol building architect crews clear snow from the East Front of the U.S. Capitol building as Winter Storm Fern dumps snow and sleet on the Washington area on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
Bill Clark | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
US Department of Energy on Monday issued two emergency orders Reducing power outages in New England and Texas, keeping grids stable and minimizing the risk of blackouts.
“As Winter Storm Fern brings extreme cold and dangerous conditions across the country, maintaining affordable, reliable and safe electricity is non-negotiable,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said in a statement Monday. he said.
It is estimated that power outages will cost the United States approximately $44 billion annually. data From DOE’s National Laboratories.
