Ohio gasoline prices up again last week

VW independent/submitted information

Average retail gasoline prices in Ohio have risen 7 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $1.99 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 gas outlets in Ohio. This compares with the national average that has increased 2.1 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.06 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Ohio during the past week, prices Sunday were 27.8 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 8.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 24.7 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 33.6 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on April 4 in Ohio have ranged widely over the last five years: $2.27 per gallon in 2015, $3.63 per gallon in 2014, $3.63 per gallon in 2013, $3.80 per gallon in 2012 and $3.67 per gallon in 2011.

“The end of March last week capped a 30.5 cent per gallon jump in the national retail gasoline price average for the month,” said Will Speer, GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst. “As prices now sit at the highest since November 2015, April brings the final phase of the transition to the more expensive summer-blend gasoline.”

Southern California was the first region in the United States to complete the summer-blend switchover on Friday, while the rest of the United States follows suit at the end of the month.  Although gas prices are expected to continue to increase this week, improving refinery utilization has helped cool March’s feverish rise, said Speer.