Average retail gasoline prices in Savannah have risen 1.6 cents per gallon in the past week, to $2.01 a gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 262 gas outlets in Savannah.
The national average has fallen 2.3 cents a gallon in the last week to $2.02, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.
Prices Sunday in Savannah were $1.242 cents a gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 25.9 cents a gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 27.1 cents a gallon during the last month and stands $1.258 cents a gallon lower than this day one year ago.
“This is the week that we’ll see the return to a national average of $1.99 a gallon, but motorists shouldn’t expect it to last very long. Refineries have been processing less crude oil and thus producing less gasoline, which will contribute to a soft bottoming out of the national average before a small recovery back in the very low $2’s,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy. “And while this year will still feature far lower prices than last year, we’ll be subject to a seasonal lift in gasoline prices as refineries slow production to do maintenance and to make the progressive switch over to cleaner burning summer gasoline.”
Last year’s increase began the second week of February and saw the upward trend last until the beginning of May when the national average saw an increase of 35 cents a gallon, DeHaan said.
A similar increase is expected this year, he said.
“On the diesel side of things, price drops have continued to outpace drops in gasoline prices,” DeHaan said. “Diesel prices dropped an average 7 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.835 a gallon. By the start of February, diesel will fall under $2.80 a gallon, and by Valentines Day, they’ll fall to $2.65 a gallon, a sweetheart deal for consumers and trucking companies that have seen diesel prices lag behind gasoline prices.”
Some quick gasoline price statistics as of Monday morning:
• Missouri has the lowest state average in the country; at $1.79 today, it is one of 27 states averaging under $2 a gallon.
• There is only one state averaging above $3 a gallon: Hawaii ($3.27).
• In the lower 48 states, California has the highest average at $2.45, followed by New York at $2.42.
• Every state has a lower average today than the same day last year. Ohio, at $1.89 today, has seen the biggest drop from the same day last year, down $1.40 from its January 26, 2014 average.
• Only one state has an average less than $1.00 lower than last year: Hawaii (76 cents lower).
• Only three states don’t have a single station reporting a price under $2:
1. Vermont (lowest station reporting at $2.05)
2. Alaska (lowest station reporting at $2.29)
3. Hawaii (lowest station reporting at $2.73)