Central Ohio gas price surge brings average over $3 per gallon
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A central Ohio gas price surge has erased over two thirds of the previous week’s declines with average prices jumping back over the $3 per gallon threshold.
According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in and around Columbus, Ohio, gas prices rose 21.4 cents in the last week, nearly wiping out a 30-cents drop over the previous two weeks, to average out at $3.10 per gallon. The current price is just 1.6 cents lower than four weeks ago but remains 27.2 cents lower than this time one year ago.
The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.39 a gallon on Sunday, while the most expensive was $3.45, a difference of $1.06 per gallon. In Ohio, the average price of gas also jumped up by 20.5 cents from $2.83 per gallon to $3.04 per gallon
Nationally, gas prices also rose by 2.0 cents per gallon to reach $3.11. The price of diesel followed suit, rising 3.2 cents, settling in at $3.67 per gallon.
GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan says that half of the states in the county experienced a rise in fuel costs, but future predictions are murky due to international economic uncertainty.
“As we approach the midpoint of the summer driving season, gasoline inventories remain just below average, while diesel inventories are considerably tighter,” De Haan said. “While renewed tariff discussions could weigh on oil markets due to concerns about economic growth, absent any major developments, we expect the national average to remain rangebound in the low-$3 per gallon area.”