UK GAS-Prices rise on lower weekend temperatures

March 15 (Reuters) - British wholesale gas prices rose on Thursday on expectations of a several degree drop in temperatures by the weekend.

* Day-ahead gas rose by 3.00 pence to 61.00 pence per therm at 09GMT.

* Within-day gas was up 2.00 pence at 61.00 p/therm.

* Traders said prices were higher due to expectations of colder weather.

* Average daily temperatures in Britain are seen at around 7.8 degrees Celsius on Thursday but are forecast to fall to around 0.7 degrees C at the weekend, Thomson Reuters Eikon data shows.

* "A new blast of cold weather expected this weekend is about to bring the temperatures below normal for the remainder of the 15-day balance forecast horizon," said Katarzyna Piaskowska, Thomson Reuters (Dusseldorf: TOC.DU - news) gas analyst.

* "Heading into the following week, however, we expect a gradual recovery in temperatures," she added.

* UK gas demand is forecast at 277.2 million cubic metres (mcm), 4.5 mcm lower than the seasonal norm. Flows were forecast at 279.6 mcm/day, meaning the system was largely balanced.

* The Gemmata liquefied natural gas tanker from the United (Shenzhen: 000925.SZ - news) States is due to arrive at Dragon on March 20.

* The April contract rose by 0.55 pence to 50.50 pence/therm.

* Day-ahead gas at the Dutch TTF hub was up 0.35 euros at 23.00 euros per megawatt-hour.

* The benchmark Dec (Shanghai: 600875.SS - news) -18 EU carbon contract inched down by 0.05 euro at 11.13 euros a tonne.

* Thomson Reuters analyst view: http://emea1.apps.cp.extranet.thomsonreuters.biz/cms/?pageid=united-kingdom-gas. (Reporting by Lefteris Karagiannopoulos in Oslo; editing by Nina Chestney)