Leonard: Power prices depend on what happens to the grid

Core Insights - The upcoming storm is significant but not expected to cause a repeat of the severe grid collapse experienced during storm Yuri in 2021, due to improvements made since then [2][3] - Natural gas prices are being driven by the cold air following the storm, which will affect millions of people and multiple grids [5][6] - The storm's impact on commodities is primarily focused on natural gas, with limited effects on other commodities like heating oil [8][9] Natural Gas Market - Traders are concerned about the cold air that will follow the storm, as it will create a layer of snow and ice that prevents rapid temperature modification [4] - A secondary Arctic air mass is expected to follow the initial storm, which could further influence natural gas prices [6] - Despite the storm, there are indications that February may be warmer than initially anticipated, leading to a pullback in natural gas prices after a recent increase [7] Impact on Other Industries - Transportation sectors, particularly rail operations, may face disruptions due to the storm, as noted by CSX's earnings report [11] - Home improvement stores and industries that benefit from severe cold and snow may see increased demand following the storm [12][13] - Conversely, industries adversely affected by cold and snow will likely experience negative impacts [13] Future Weather Predictions - There are models predicting another significant storm for the upper I-95 corridor later next week, which could have detrimental effects on economies in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast [14]