Western Pa. gas prices below $3
PITTSBURGH – Western Pennsylvania gas prices fell almost five cents this week to $2.957 a gallon according to AAA East Central’s Fuel Gauge report.
The latest price was 4.9 cents lower than the average price of $3.006 recorded for the week of Nov. 26. It was nearly 42 cents lower than the $3.374 average for the week of Dec. 3, 2013.
The latest regional average price stands just below the statewide average price for unleaded regular gasoline of $2.943.
AAA East, which surveys prices of gasoline at multiple stations in each of 22 Western Pensylvania towns and cities, said the average price in the Washington area this week was $2.909 per gallon.
According to AAA East, drivers enjoyed the lowest retail average for Thanksgiving since 2009, with the national average at $2.80 per gallon Thursday, and pump prices are poised to continue to drop this holiday season.
The national average has fallen on 67 consecutive days, for a total drop of 58 cents during this streak. Monday’s price of $2.77 is four cents less than one week ago, 23 cents less than one month ago and 50 cents less than one year ago. The national average is the lowest since Oct. 7, 2010.
The national average has been below the $3.00 per gallon benchmark for exactly one month, and 42 states are now registering averages below $3.00 per gallon.
According to AAA, the number is set to increase in the coming days and it’s likely that New York and Connecticut will be the only states in the lower 48 above this threshold by the end of next week.
Sharply lower global oil prices have been the driving factor for lower retail gas prices. Prices dropped even lower last week when, despite the falling price of global oil, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries elected to maintain its collective production ceiling when the group met last Thursday.