Coast gas prices running 50 cents more than a year ago

Gasoline prices remain well below the national average in South Mississippi but are averaging 50 cents a gallon more than Coast drivers paid a year ago.

The average cost per gallon for the first nine months of the year is $2.10, according to AAA Fuel Gauge, compared with $1.60 for the same period in 2016.

If the trend continues as it did last year, South Mississippi drivers may already have seen the bottom price this year. In 2016, the lowest price reported on a Monday was $1.50 on Feb. 15. This year the lowest Monday price was $2.06 on Feb. 20.

A week later, the average price in South Mississippi is $2.07, or 51 cents higher than a year ago. The average price is $2.08 in Mississippi compared with $1.55 a year ago and $2.29 nationwide compared with $1.74 last year.

A Fuel Gauge report Monday shows:

▪  The nation’s top five least expensive markets are South Carolina ($2.03), Alabama ($2.06), Tennessee ($2.07), Mississippi ($2.08) and Texas ($2.08).

▪  The nation’s top five most expensive markets include Hawaii ($3.10), California ($2.94), Washington ($2.75), Alaska ($2.74) and Nevada ($2.57).

Prices that have been flat are expected to rise in mid-March, according to AAA Fuel Gauge, as more refiners begin to switch from winter-blend to summer-blend gasoline and driver demand increases.

This story was originally published February 27, 2017 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Coast gas prices running 50 cents more than a year ago."