Average Gas Price Increases to $3.51 a Gallon

NATIONAL REPORT -- The peak driving season is still several months away, but motorists are already facing increasingly higher pump prices and the year has just begun.

According to the Lundberg Survey, the average price for a gallon of gas rose nearly 12 cents in the past three weeks, hitting $3.510 as of Feb. 10. The survey takes the pulse of approximately 2,500 gas stations in the continental United States.

Survey editor Trilby Lundberg told Reuters that the higher prices came as the price for North Sea Brent crude increased more than $7 a barrel. Brent prices are more volatile and sensitive to changes in the Middle East than U.S. crude, the news outlet reported.

In ever worse news for motorists, Lundberg said the price at the pump will probably inch up a few more cents in the short-term because retailers have yet to pass along all the recent wholesale price increases.

AAA's "Fuel Gauge Report" also noted the rise of gas prices in the past few weeks. As of this morning, the report lists the current average for a gallon of regular gas at $3.511 per gallon, up from $3.509 yesterday. Today's average price, according to AAA, is 38 cents higher than a year ago when the price was $3.128.

Spanning the AAA map, Hawaii is the only state topping $4 right now, with the average gallon of regular gas there standing at $4.193. Alaska ($3.867) and California ($3.839) fall in among the next highest. Coming in at the low end of the scale are Wyoming ($3.016), and Colorado and Montana (both at $3.067).

 

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