When the colder weather sets in, so does the need to heat our homes and dry the harvest’s grain. The main determinants of winter heating fuel expenditures are temperatures and prices.

The latest winter weather outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicates temperatures will be similar to both last year and the previous 10-year average. Projected heating degree days for the United States are, on average, 1% more than last winter.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects heating...