Skyrocketing gas prices

Your eyes are not deceiving you, gas prices are in fact getting higher and are not expected to get better anytime soon.

The national average is at $2.66, according to GasBuddy. Gas prices this summer are estimated to be 14-percent higher than last year. The price hikes are being blamed by the rise in global oil prices.

“But now with oil prices recently surging up to their highest level since 2014, gas prices have followed. Of course this is the time of year where we talk about refinery maintenance also happening and the transition to summer gasoline. All of these factors combined with now what’s going on in Syria, concerns over military action there, and trade conflict with China- driving up the price of oil,” said Patrick DeHaan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

But it’s even higher along the west coast. In California, the average gas price is $3.52 a gallon. Idaho and Utah’s average is $2.91. Wyoming is at an average of $2.50.

“Over the last seven years, gas prices have averaged hitting their peak on about May 10. It has been early as early-April, sometimes gas prices peak as late as early-June. So we could still be in store for more increases,” said DeHaan.

Some gas stations offer discounts or rewards, so motorists may be able to get a couple of cents off the listed priced per gallon.