Gas prices are hitting over $5 in some parts of the Phoenix Metropolitan area, as prices are anticipated to climb again this summer.
In Arizona as a whole, the AAA average is $4.55, with the average price still being under $4 in some rural southern Arizona such as Yuma, Cochise, and Graham counties.
However, Maricopa County averages $4.83 a gallon for regular, which is higher than last week’s average.
Some of the highest prices are seen in more affluent communities like Scottsdale, where the average is $4.96 as of Monday. This is slightly higher than the Los Angeles-Long Beach area of California, where drivers are paying an average of $4.95 a gallon on Monday.
Gasoline’s summer blend is more expensive than winter blends, which partially explains why prices are back on the rise.
“When the cost of crude oil crosses the $80 a barrel mark, that puts a lot of upward pressure on what we pay at the pump, and as long as oil costs remain at the current level, drivers will likely see incremental price increases for now,” AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said in a statement last week.
In Phoenix proper, the average is $4.80, which is the same as the West Valley in general.
For northern Arizonans, Prescott is much cheaper compared to Phoenix at $4.25 and $4.33 in Flagstaff.
The national average is much lower than Arizona and California, as it’s nearly a dollar less at $3.67.
Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
