Gas Prices Up On A Snowy Monday

With all this new snow you'll be using more gas and that's not good news when gas prices are on the rise. Average retail gasoline prices in Yakima have risen 8.7 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.68/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 91 gas outlets in Yakima. This compares with the national average that has increased 2.1 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.37/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Yakima during the past week, prices yesterday were 37.2 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 16.0 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 16.2 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 39.3 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on January 9 in Yakima have ranged widely over the last five years:

$2.31/g in 2016, $2.32/g in 2015, $3.31/g in 2014, $3.32/g in 2013 and $3.35/g in 2012.

Areas near Yakima and their current gas price climate:

Tacoma- $2.75/g, up 5.2 cents per gallon from last week's $2.70/g.

Seattle- $2.77/g, up 5.4 cents per gallon from last week's $2.72/g.

Washington- $2.72/g, up 5.2 cents per gallon from last week's $2.67/g.

"If there’s ever a time one could expect gasoline prices to flatline, this week should be one of them,” said Gregg Laskoski, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.

“Given the Dept. of Energy report last week of a huge build in gasoline inventory followed by the  brutal 1-2 punch from Winter Storms Helena and Iras, that brings immediate and downward pressure on fuel prices. Between the two storms they’ve brought nearly a foot of rain, mudslides and rockslides to California & Nevada; snow, sleet & freezing rain in the Pacific northwest; snow and ice storms in the Plains and upper Midwest; and winter advisories in effect from the Deep South all the way to the  northeast where nearly a foot of snow brought travel to a crawl on the I-95 corridor from North Carolina to Portland, ME,”  Laskoski added.