Gas prices generally lower amid coronavirus fears

Average gasoline prices fell last week in New York state and the nation, but the Hudson Valley had a mixed bag of cheaper and more expensive fuel, GasBuddy.com said Monday.

Local averages midday Monday were $2.52 per gallon in Ulster County, up 3 cents from a week earlier; $2.64 in Dutchess County, down a penny; and $2.63 in Greene County, down 5 cents.

The statewide average

Monday was $2.61 per gallon, down 2.4 cents from a week earlier, GasBuddy reported. The national average fell 6.2 cents per gallon, to $2.41.

Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said fear and uncertainty about the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 are the main drivers of fuel prices, and that he expect prices to fall further in the coming weeks.

“Nearly every village, town and city in every state

will see gas prices dropping — the pace may vary, of course — but over the next week, gas prices will move

lower solidly, barring any dramatic improvement in the spread of the virus,” DeHaan said. “... Gas stations have plenty of room to drop prices, in some cases nearly 25 [to] 35 cent[s] ... over the next few weeks.”

New York state’s average

gasoline price Monday was 6.5 cents per gallon lower than a month earlier but 6.5 cents higher than a year ago. The national average Monday was 4.4 cents per gallon lower than a month and 1.8 cents lower than a year ago.

Over the past five years,

the average gasoline price on March 2 in New York state has been: $2.54 per gallon in 2019, $2.72 in 2018, $2.45 in 2017, $1.93 in 2016 and $2.55 in 2015.

For live fuel price averages, go to fuelinsights.gasbuddy.com.