Happy holiday: Gas prices nation’s third highest

As motorists look ahead to traveling on Memorial Day weekend, they should be warned that Nevada has the third-most-expensive gasoline in the nation.

AAA Nevada data shows the state’s average price for regular unleaded gas as of Thursday was $3.60 per gallon, just behind Hawaii at $3.88 and California at $4.15. The cheapest gas in the U.S. is found in Mississippi and Louisiana, where the average price of regular unleaded is $2.72 per gallon.

“The unfortunate news is AAA expects gas prices on Memorial Day to be the most expensive they’ve been since 2014,” said Sergio Avila, AAA Nevada spokesman.

Gas prices in Nevada are up almost 20 cents per gallon in the last month, as prices were at $3.41 per gallon on April 20. Prices are up 23 cents per gallon

compared with the same time in 2019, when gas sold for $3.47 per gallon. Last year when many states, including Nevada, were in lockdown due to the pandemic and demand was much lower, gas prices in the Silver State were $2.36 per gallon.

The average price in Las Vegas is slightly higher than the state average, at $3.62 per gallon, up 19 cents from a month ago, according to AAA data.

Avila pointed to increased demand and the price of crude oil as two factors.

“I would say Nevada typically falls in the top five most expensive states for gasoline and, yes, the main reasons are us getting the majority of gasoline from California as well as pretty high gas taxes,” Avila said.

He said the shutdown of the nation’s largest gasoline pipeline because of a ransomware attack was not a factor in the recent price rise.

The closed pipeline reopened Wednesday and is expected to resume normal operations by next week. The closure led to gas shortages on the East Coast as well as a spike in prices.

The spike in gas prices won’t affect the number of people who will hit the road for the long holiday weekend, Avila said.

“AAA has learned the price of gasoline doesn’t curtail travelers from taking road trips but it may impact how much they spend while on their trip,” Avila said.

AAA predicts that 37 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home for the Memorial Day holiday, a 60 percent increase over 2020.

Gas prices are expected to decrease as June rolls around.