The growing popularity of natural gas as a eco-friendly fuel, is of paramount motivation of present investigation. In the present paper, the effect of initial temperature on the flame structure have been investigated in which laminar one-dimensional planar propagating flames of CH4/air mixtures is simulated numerically using detailed chemical kinetic scheme and realistic transport models. The burning velocities are fundamentally important in developing models to predict progress of combustion. Hence, the burning velocities as a function of initial temperature of unburnt gas have been computed for stoichiometric mixture. The present predictions of burning velocities are compared with reported experimental data of Stone et al. [Combust. Flame. 114 (1998) 546], Hill and Huang [Combust. Sci. Technol. 60 (1980) 71 and Rallis and Garforth [Combust. Flame 31 (1978) 53]. The present prediction lies within the scatter of experimental data. A correlation in the form of S-u/S-u,S-o = (T-u/T-u,T-0)(1.575) has been developed to describe the dependence of initial temperature on the burning velocity for stoichiometric mixture. The structures of flame are investigated in details for initial temperature of 300 and 600 K which clearly indicate that detailed chemical kinetics are essential for prediction of the effects of initial temperature on the burning velocities. The present study will help in designing and developing the regenerative combustion systems. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.