Motorists will be paying a bit more when filling up their tanks for Thanksgiving travel. Susquehanna Valley gas prices have risen almost eight cents to $3.32 a gallon, according to AAA East Central.
On the national front
After falling to a multi-year low of $3.18 per gallon Nov. 12, the national average price of gas increased for 14 straight days and jumped 11 cents to a current average of $3.29.
Tuesday's national average price at the pump is eight cents more expensive than one week ago, but it remains a penny cheaper than one month ago and 14 cents less than the same date last year.
After several months of steady decline nationwide, average gas prices in many states have moved higher over the last two weeks. Drivers in 38 states and Washington, D.C., are paying more at the pump than one week ago. This increase in retail prices has been keyed by increases in Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states due to planned and unplanned maintenance at a number of Gulf Coast refineries and seasonally stronger demand for gasoline.
AAA expects that the national average will stay flat or even rise a few cents higher leading up to Thanksgiving. However, while gasoline refined from likely cheaper crude oil makes its way to consumers and refinery issues are resolved, AAA continues to predict the national average will fall as the holidays draw near.
The price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil has now settled below the $100 per barrel mark for six straight weeks. This decline continued Monday with WTI settling at $93.09 per gallon at the close of formal trading on the NYMEX.
(AAA East Central - a not-for-profit association with 82 local offices in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, New York and Kentucky servicing 2.7 million members - provides Fuel Gauge each week.)