Gas prices continue to surge across Pennsylvania. On Friday, the statewide average rose to $3.46 per gallon. That’s up 10 cents from Thursday and 33 cents since Monday. In the Susquehanna Valley, Cumberland and York counties are seeing the highest prices, with averages just above $3.50 per gallon. Lancaster and Dauphin counties are also edging closer to the $3.50 mark.Perry County remains among the least expensive in the region, averaging $3.39 per gallon. What is driving the increase? AAA said the spike is largely due to two factors: Seasonal refinery changes Global tensions involving IranEach spring, refineries switch to a more expensive summer-blend gasoline. The cleaner fuel costs more to produce, which can push prices higher at the pump.At the same time, geopolitical uncertainty involving Iran, one of the world’s major oil producers, can rattle global markets and contribute to price increases.”Iran is a key stakeholder when it comes to oil. Not only that, in the U.S., we do not import gas from oil, but we know that other places do. China takes a lot of their oil,” said Doni Lee Fox with AAA. “We also have a situation with the Strait of Hormuz, which is the major point from the Persian Gulf for the ships to get out to open waters. So if that does stop, anything that happens geopolitically, you see a ripple effect.”AAA recommends a few ways drivers can save, including combining errands to cut down on trips, keeping up with vehicle maintenance, planning routes and fuel stops ahead of time, and checking gas prices in real time before heading to a station.Drivers can use GasBuddy to find the lowest gas prices in their area.AAA also tracks average gas prices by county across Pennsylvania.WGAL News 8 will continue monitoring prices as the situation develops. See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.
Gas prices continue to surge across Pennsylvania.
On Friday, the statewide average rose to $3.46 per gallon. That’s up 10 cents from Thursday and 33 cents since Monday.
In the Susquehanna Valley, Cumberland and York counties are seeing the highest prices, with averages just above $3.50 per gallon.
Lancaster and Dauphin counties are also edging closer to the $3.50 mark.
Perry County remains among the least expensive in the region, averaging $3.39 per gallon.
What is driving the increase?
AAA said the spike is largely due to two factors:
Seasonal refinery changes Global tensions involving Iran
Each spring, refineries switch to a more expensive summer-blend gasoline. The cleaner fuel costs more to produce, which can push prices higher at the pump.
At the same time, geopolitical uncertainty involving Iran, one of the world’s major oil producers, can rattle global markets and contribute to price increases.
“Iran is a key stakeholder when it comes to oil. Not only that, in the U.S., we do not import gas from oil, but we know that other places do. China takes a lot of their oil,” said Doni Lee Fox with AAA. “We also have a situation with the Strait of Hormuz, which is the major point from the Persian Gulf for the ships to get out to open waters. So if that does stop, anything that happens geopolitically, you see a ripple effect.”
AAA recommends a few ways drivers can save, including combining errands to cut down on trips, keeping up with vehicle maintenance, planning routes and fuel stops ahead of time, and checking gas prices in real time before heading to a station.
Drivers can use GasBuddy to find the lowest gas prices in their area.
AAA also tracks average gas prices by county across Pennsylvania.
WGAL News 8 will continue monitoring prices as the situation develops.
See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.