Europe Set for Cold Snap as Heating Season Enters Final Month

A cold snap will sweep across western Europe next week, potentially boosting natural gas demand as the heating season enters its final month.

(Bloomberg) — A cold snap will sweep across western Europe next week, potentially boosting natural gas demand as the heating season enters its final month.

Temperatures in London are expected to be 3C below the seasonal average on Monday, while Paris will be 5.2C below the norm that day and Madrid will be 7C below on Tuesday, according to forecaster Maxar Technologies Inc.

Winter in Europe has largely been mild so far, easing an energy crunch that roiled markets last year. Some countries have even been able to top up gas inventories at a time when they’d usually be tapping storage.

Germany can expect snow in northern parts this weekend and snow showers toward the Alps next week, according to national forecaster DWD.

In the UK, snow flurries may affect southern areas early next week before moving east and north, an outlook from the Met Office shows.

For the region as a whole next week, Maxar sees a total of 74.8 heating-degree days — a measure of the energy needed to heat homes. That’s slightly above the 10-year average.

For Bloomberg’s weather functions, see WFOR and EFOR

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