Listen to this article

Local and state gas prices are bucking national trends and have decreased slightly. The average price for a gallon of gas is two cents lower in Pennsylvania this week at $3.014, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. 

In the Lehigh Valley, the average price for a gallon of gas on Jan. 26 was $2.980. That’s down from $2.991 one week ago. 

In the Harrisburg area, the average price for a gallon of gas dropped to $3.018, down from $3.037 one week ago. 

 But it’s a different picture across the country as winter weather grips much of the nation. 

AAA reports that the national average for a gallon of regular gas has gone up six cents over the past week to $2.88. Even though the national average is higher this week, prices are still 24 cents cheaper than they were a year ago. This is the time of year when gasoline demand is usually lower as fewer drivers hit the road, it noted. 

 According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased last week from 8.30 million barrels per day to 7.83 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased from 251 million barrels to 257 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 8.8 million barrels per day. 

 At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate rose 26 cents to settle at $60.62 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories increased by 3.6 million barrels from the previous week. At 426.0 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 2% below the five-year average for this time of year. 

Â