Natural Gas Futures Hit $2.81 as Late-Summer Heat Keeps Cooling Demand High

U.S. natural gas futures rose 1.42% to $2.81 per MMBtu on August 26, 2026, after the Commodity Weather Group flagged above-average temperatures across the Gulf, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic. The heat sustains strong gas-fired cooling demand. Storage stood at 3,169 Bcf as of August 14, and slowing injections are narrowing the surplus that has capped prices.