PENNSYLVANIA – Average retail gasoline prices in Pennsylvania have risen 3.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.55 per gallon yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,269 gas outlets in Pennsylvania. This compares with the national average that has increased 5.0 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.34 per gallon, according to gasoline price Web site GasBuddy.com.
Including the change in gas prices in Pennsylvania during the past week, prices yesterday were 18.4 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 4.6 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 6.1 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 34.3 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.
“After weeks of relative stability with little change in gas price nationally, we’ve seen a new trend develop that has sent the national average to its highest level since mid-October,” said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan.
“Oil prices have recently surpassed $100/bbl, a $6/bbl jump since we began 2014, and unfortunately this new trend may signal the beginning of ‘March Madness,’ the time of year that brings large spikes in gas prices. Very few stations have gasoline under $3/gallon, and I expect those few stations will all but dry up over the next couple weeks. The national average will likely rise 35-50 cents per gallon by the time gasoline prices peak in April or May, ahead of the start of the summer driving season that brings the switch to more expensive, cleaner burning summer gasoline,” DeHaan said.
About GasBuddy
GasBuddy operates PennsylvaniaGasPrices.com and more than 250 similar Web sites that track gasoline prices at more than 140,000 gasoline stations in the United States and Canada. In addition, GasBuddy offers a free smartphone app, which has been downloaded more than 25 million times to help motorists find the lowest gasoline prices in their area.