By Scott DiSavino

Oct 25 (Reuters) -U.S. natural gas futures slid about 2% on Friday on forecasts for mild weather through early November that should keep heating demand low and allow utilities to inject more gas into storage than is usual for this time of year.

Front-month gas futures NGc1 for November delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 4.3 cents, or 1.7%, to $2.479 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) at 8:24 a.m. EDT (1224 GMT). On Thursday, the contract closed at its highest since Oct. 11.

That put the front-month on track to gain about 9% this week after it fell about 22% over the prior three weeks.

Analysts projected utilities were on track to inject more gas into storage this week than normal for a second week in a row for the first time since October 2023. EIA/GAS NGAS/POLL

Prior to last week, injections had been smaller than usual for 14 weeks in a row because many producers so far this year have reduced drilling activities after average spot monthly prices at the U.S. Henry Hub NG-W-HH-SNL benchmark in Louisiana fell to a 32-year low in March. Prices have remained relatively low since then. NGAS/POLL HH/GAS

In the spot market, pipeline constraints caused next-day gas prices at the Waha hub NG-WAH-WTX-SNL in the Permian Shale in West Texas to fall into negative territory for a record 39th time this year.

Until the last two weeks, Waha prices had remained in positive territory since mid September - just after the Matterhorn pipeline from the Permian to the Houston area started receiving gas.

Waha prices first averaged below zero in 2019. It happened 17 times in 2019, six times in 2020 and once in 2023.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Financial group LSEG said average gas output in the Lower 48 U.S. states slipped to 101.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) so far in October, down from 101.8 bcfd in September. That compares with a record 105.5 bcfd in December 2023.

With so many firms curtailing drilling activities, analysts have projected average output in calendar 2024 would decline for the first time since 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic cut demand for the fuel.

Meteorologists projected the weather in the Lower 48 states would remain warmer than normal through at least Nov. 9. But even warmer than normal weather in early November is cooler than warmer than normal weather in late October.

So, with seasonally cooler weather coming, LSEG forecast average gas demand in the Lower 48, including exports, would rise from 95.4 bcfd this week to 99.2 bcfd next week and 102.4 bcfd in two weeks.

The amount of gas flowing to the seven big U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants rose to an average of 13.0 bcfd so far in October, up from 12.7 bcfd in September. That compares with a monthly record high of 14.7 bcfd in December 2023.

Analysts have noted that overall LNG feedgas will likely remain below record levels for at least a couple more weeks while some firms conduct maintenance on their plants in Louisiana, including Cheniere Energy LNG.N at Sabine and Cameron LNG at Cameron.

The U.S. became the world's biggest LNG supplier in 2023, ahead of recent leaders Australia and Qatar, as much higher global prices feed demand for more exports due in part to supply disruptions and sanctions linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Gas prices climbed to a 10-month high near $14 per mmBtu at the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) benchmark in Europe TRNLTTFMc1 and a six-week high also near $14 at the Japan Korea Marker (JKM) benchmark in Asia JKMc1. NG/EU

Reporting by Scott DiSavino, Editing by Nick Zieminski

For gas data on the LSEG terminal type ENERGY in the search bar and then go to the GAS drop down and the NORTH AMERICA drop down.

For Interactive Map, type 'Interactive Map' in the box at upper left of the LSEG terminal

For graphics on Baker Hughes rig counts, see: http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/15/rigcount/index.html

For next-day SNL U.S. gas prices, see: 0#SNL-NG

For next-day SNL U.S. power prices, see: 0#SNL-PWR

For U.S. natgas price and storage polls, see: NGAS/POLL

For U.S. nuclear power outages, see: NUKE/

For U.S. Northwest hydro power report, see: NWRFC

For U.S./Canada natural gas rig count vs Henry Hub futures price, see: http://tmsnrt.rs/2eT9k44

For the U.S. natural gas speed guide, see: USGAS

For the U.S. power speed guide, see: USPOWER

To determine CFTC managed money net position add (NYMEX Henry Hub options and futures combined 3023651MNET) plus (ICE Henry Hub options and futures combined 3023391MNET divided by four) plus (NYMEX Henry Hub swaps options and futures combined 303565BMNET divided by four) plus (NYMEX Henry Hub penultimate gas swaps 303565CMNET divided by four)

NYMEX Henry Hub options and futures combined 0#3CFTC023651

NYMEX Henry Hub futures only 0#1CFTC023651

ICE Henry Hub options and futures combined 0#3CFTC023391

NYMEX Henry Hub swaps options and futures combined 0#3CFTC03565B

NYMEX Henry Hub Penultimate gas swaps 0#3CFTC03565C