Mid-May brings warmer to much warmer than average temperatures to the west from the Great Basin to the Pacific coast. Elsewhere temperatures should be near average except below average over S Texas and Louisiana, the SE Atlantic coast and in the close vicinity of the Great Lakes. Lower than average temperatures in the S imply lower than average demand for NG as cooling requirements will be below average. Long range forecasts suggest higher than average NG injections through the end of the month; a decidedly bearish pattern.

This week features a cut-off low meandering through the SE; it will bring heavy rain to much of the southern Appalachian area during the first half of the week before finally lifting off the east coast near Boston on Friday. Another cut-off low currently in the vicinity of San Francisco will produce showers and thunderstorms to much of the Southwest thru the first half of the week then Colorado, Texas and OK mid week, followed by the Northern Gulf coast east of TX for the later half of the week. The low over SF this morning has temporarily shut down California's heat wave, but the ridge will rebound along the west coast early in the week and the heat wave will return, though not as intensely, to CA north of LA by Thursday, and spread east into the great basin. Another weak upper atmospheric disturbance will move into the S Cal deserts Friday bringing some storminess to the Palm Springs area that day and Saturday.; not a great day to fly from LA to Vegas :) NG injections to be reported by EIA this Thursday should be around 85 Bcf; 20% above average and probably the first of a long string of above average injections to come. I can see NG heading south of 3.50 during the next month.