Average gas prices rise in Pittsburgh region, nationally

Average gasoline prices have increased in the Pittsburgh area and across the nation in the past week, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy.

Pittsburgh’s average is now $4 after a 1.3-cent increase, based on GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations. That’s 1.9 cents per gallon more than a month ago and 45.6 cents more than a year ago.

Prices in the Pittsburgh area range from $3.56 to $4.39, a difference of 83 cents per gallon, according to GasBuddy.

The national average increased 6.2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.78 on Monday, according to GasBuddy. That’s 11.5 cents less than a month ago but 37.8 cents more than a year ago.

“Just over half of the nation’s 50 states saw gasoline prices rise last week, pulling the national average back up for the time being due to big jumps in the Great Lakes and continued increases in New England and mid-Atlantic states,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “For now, the rise in the Great Lakes, brought on by tight supply, has already started to ease, and declines should start again. In the northeastern U.S., prices are likely to inch up a bit more.”

According to AAA, the average price in Pennsylvania was about $4.08 on Monday. That’s about 7 cents more than a week ago and about 51 cents more than a year ago.

Statewide, county averages range from $3.94 to $4.21 per gallon, with higher prices in the eastern half of the state, according to AAA.

County averages in the Pittsburgh area, according to AAA:

• Allegheny: $4.03

• Armstrong: $4.03

• Beaver: $4

• Butler: $3.99

• Washington: $4.04

• Westmoreland: $4

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices, according to GasBuddy:

• Akron: $3.83, up 20.1 cents from last week.

• Cleveland: $3.87, up 18.9 cents from last week.

• West Virginia: $3.58, up 6.1 cents from last week.

Diesel prices increase

The national average price of diesel increased 3.4 cents in the past week to $5.32 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.

“National diesel supply remains tight, but supplies of diesel did see a slight rise last week. The majority of stations, especially away from the East Coast and Northeast, should have very few issues with diesel supply, though some stations in those regions could see diesel delivery times slip,” De Haan said. “Brief outages at a limited number of stations are possible, but with refineries continuing to churn out product and maintenance wrapping up, I’m optimistic the situation will improve.”