LAS VEGAS - After increases and volatility in fuel prices over the past several months, Nevadans are now taking a break from higher gas prices and paying relatively the same as a month ago, an average of $3.66 per gallon of unleaded regular. While some metro areas show slight increases, other metro areas are showing a decrease in prices, according to the AAA Nevada monthly gas survey.
Las Vegas has the Silver State's lowest pump price, in metro areas tracked by AAA, with drivers paying an average price of $3.60, a 2 cent increase from last month. Elko registers Nevada's highest price, at $3.91 for a gallon of unleaded regular gas, holding steady from last month's average price.
"Despite the recent relative stability, gas prices have the potential to increase in the coming weeks due to possible late-summer hurricanes and accompanying refinery problems," said Cynthia Harris, AAA spokesperson. "These types of issues can disrupt production, distribution and gasoline supply at a time when many Americans are filling up their tanks for summer travel."
According to analysts, if no major hurricanes threaten the Gulf Coast and refineries continue to run smoothly heading into the mid-September changeover to winter-blend gasoline, gasoline prices could remain flat or decline even further.
The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline last week was $3.54 per gallon, down an average of 6 cents per gallon from the previous month. This is reminiscent of recent August declines of 6 cents in 2010 and 9 cents in 2011, but so far it represents a stark departure from the 33-cent surge during the same month last year.
The highest average price of gas, in the nation's metro areas that AAA tracks is in Wailuku, Hawaii. The price there is $4.57 per gallon. The lowest price is in Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina, where the price is $3.17 per gallon.
[[In-content Ad]]
