Ohio gasoline prices up a dime this week

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Average retail gasoline prices in Ohio have risen 10.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.22 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 gas outlets in Ohio. This compares with the national average, which has increased 2.4 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.31 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Ohio during the past week, prices on Sunday were 35 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 17.4 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 5 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 49.5 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on March 6 in Ohio have ranged widely over the last five years: $1.87 per gallon in 2016, $2.38 per gallon in 2015, $3.58 per gallon in 2014, $3.66 per gallon in 2013, and $3.72 per gallon in 2012.

“Gasoline prices are starting to pick up steam as a majority of states see their average rise over last week, a function of the season’s theatrics coming into view: refinery maintenance and the transition to cleaner gasoline pumping up prices,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com. “Some states gas prices may slightly lag the upward trend being seen in 38 states as remaining winter gasoline inventories are purged.

“However, as we grow closer to baseball’s opening day, the nation’s motorists will be more likely to strike out when trying to find $1.99 gas prices, which remain at just 8,000 stations across just handful of states,” DeHaan added. “In a sign of what’s to come in some of the nation’s largest cities, motorists in Southern California have become the first in the lower 48 states to see the ugly “3” showing up on gas station displays at street level,” he added.