1501 ET - U.S. natural gas futures rise as weather models add some heat to the near-term outlook, while LNG feedgas flows continue recovering. "This market will remain heavily reliant upon a long-awaited upswing in export activity once LNG infrastructure maintenance is completed but for now, the short supply in Europe that has been boosting gas prices remains largely inoperable as a supportive consideration to the U.S. market," Ritterbusch & Associates says in a note. For now the market "appears too late to sell but a bit too early to buy," the firm adds. Nymex natural gas settles up 3.2% at $2.776/mmBtu.