A double dose of winter woes for Missourians as a winter storm brings a cold blast to the state and natural gas suppliers prepare to send a chilling message to customers: gas prices are on the rise. Bloomberg Business News reports natural gas prices in the Midwest jumped to new levels on Monday, nearly doubling in some cases. The average wholesale natural gas price rose from nearly $8 per thousand cubic feet to just over $15. That’s higher than the previous record in January of 2001, when prices reached about $11. Though the winter heating season is nearly over, the price spike could foreshadow high heating bills next year.