Cost of gas up again; spring surge possible

The average price per gallon rose last week in the MidHudson Valley, New York state and the nation.

Average gasoline prices rose again last week in New York state, across the U.S. and in most of the MidHudson Valley, and there could be a steep surge by spring, according to GasBuddy.com.

Local averages midday Monday, according to GasBuddy, were $2.57 in Ulster County, up 6 cents from a week earlier; $2.59 in Dutchess County, up 2 cents; $2.58 in Greene County, up 4 cents; and $2.54 in Columbia County, unchanged.

The New York state average Monday was $2.58 per gallon, up 1.3 cents from a week earlier, while the national average was $2.50, up 2.6 cents, GasBuddy reported.

“Gasoline prices continue to follow oil prices higher, [and] the national average now stands at its highest level since January 2020,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

“The rise in gas prices continues to be driven by improving demand in the United States ... [and] prices will continue to trend higher,” DeHaan said. “This situation will last as long as OPEC continues to restrain their oil production.”

DeHaan said prices at the pump could jump “another 10 to as much as 50 cents per gallon” by spring if oil production “doesn’t respond to the continued recovery in demand.”

New York state’s average gasoline price Monday was 11.1 cents higher than a month earlier but still 6.3 cents lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy. The national average was 11 cents higher than a month ago and 5.3 cents higher than a year ago.

Over the past five years, the average gasoline prices on Feb. 15 in New York state have been: $2.65 per gallon in 2020; $2.49 in 2019, $2.74 in 2018, $2.47 in 2017 and $1.97 in 2016.