PENNSYLVANIA – Average retail gasoline prices in Pennsylvania have risen 3.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.37 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 7.6 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.25 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 117.8 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 2.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago.
The national average has increased 17.5 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 110.2 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.
“Prices at the pump are starting to heat back up, mostly driven by a rebound in crude oil prices,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy.
“Nationally, almost 9 in 10 stations is selling over $2/gallon, while a month ago, less than half of stations were selling over that price- clearly we’re seeing the typical seasonal rebound in prices, being led higher by oil’s rebound, and soon to be enhanced further by refinery maintenance season- which hasn’t yet gotten well under way.
“Motorists in California are getting a taste of the sourness that will hit across the country in a month or two as Los Angeles switches over to cleaner burning gasoline, followed by San Francisco in short order, with the rest of the nation making moves in the weeks and months ahead.”
“I’m also starting to hear more frustration from motorists about rising prices- and while the concerns are well rooted, they should take solace that gas prices this summer are still expected to be some $1/gallon lower than last summer,” DeHaan said.
California, Arizona, Oregon, Florida, and Washington saw the largest increases in the last week- all saw increases over 10c/gal. The nation’s cheapest 5 percent of stations were selling Sunday at $1.92/gallon, a jump from last month’s $1.68/gallon.
Idaho Falls, Idaho enjoyed the lowest gas prices, averaging $1.77/gallon, while Kahului, Hawaii saw the only average over $3/gallon: $3.13/gal. Excluding Hawaii and Alaska, California cities took all 25 spots of the top 25 most expensive communities.