Fuel Prices Surge Nationwide: Six States Report Gasoline Over $5 Per Gallon

WASHINGTON — As tensions continue to escalate with the ongoing conflict in Iran, six states reported average gas prices exceeding $5 per gallon on Monday, contributing to an upward trend in the national average for regular gasoline.

Leading the pack, California’s average gas price hit $6.11 per gallon, as reported by AAA. In rural Mono County, the situation is even more dire, with prices surpassing $7 per gallon.

Following California, the states with notably high gas prices include Washington at $5.673, Hawaii at $5.639, Oregon at $5.255, and Nevada at $5.177, all maintaining averages above the $5 mark.

Over the weekend, Alaska joined the ranks of its Pacific neighbors, with the state’s average gas price climbing to $5.067 per gallon.

The national retail average for a regular gallon of gas was $4.457 on Monday. That’s a 1-cent increase from Sunday, according to the American Automobile Association, and 35 cents more than last Monday. At this time last year, a gallon of gas was $1.29 cheaper. 

The surging prices seemed to stabilize or even decrease for about two weeks, following a temporary ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran that has been indefinitely extended. 

However, the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes, has effectively remained closed or extremely limited to passage due to dueling blockades by both countries. This volatility has greatly disrupted the global oil markets. 

The main uncertainty for the global economy is where oil prices are heading because of the Iran war. Oil prices spurted higher early this week on worries that the war will keep the Strait of Hormuz closed for a long time. That would, in turn, keep oil tankers pent up in the Persian Gulf instead of delivering crude to customers worldwide.

Hovering just under $5 is the Great Lakes region. According to gas price tracker GasBuddy, states like Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana have seen the fastest increase in fuel prices in the past few weeks.

Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, said “refinery outages” in the Midwest have made increases more severe. Although De Haan notes that these issues have improved, which could soon offset prices. 

Georgia has the lowest average gas price among states at $3.859. In March, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp suspended the state’s 33-cent excise gas tax and a 37-cent diesel tax in response to rising prices amid the War in Iran. The 60-day tax suspension is scheduled to last until May 19.

After Georgia, Oklahoma ($3.885), and Arkansas and Mississippi (both $3.898) have the cheapest gas. 

Highest average gas prices by state:

• California: $6.114 
• Washington: $5.673
• Hawaii: $5.639 
• Oregon: $5.255
• Nevada: $5.177

Lowest average gas prices by state, as of Friday: 

• Georgia: $3.859 
• Oklahoma: $3.885
• Arkansas & Mississippi: $3.898
• Louisiana: $3.903 
• Texas $3.925 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.