Gasoline prices in Oklahoma soared higher in the past week, increasing as much as 14 cents a gallon and reaching a new statewide average of $3.08 a gallon.
Milder weather in much of the nation is credited with resulting in more demand for gasoline, thus increasing the price at the pump.
The American Automobile Association reported while the national average is up to $3.42 a gallon, Oklahoma’s $3.08 average compared to $2.94 a week ago and $2.68 a month earlier.
Lawton still has the lowest average where the typical price at the pump is $2.97 a gallon, 17 cents higher than a week ago and 56 cents more than one month earlier when the average was down to $2.41 per gallon.
Oklahoma City prices average $3.09, higher than the $2.95 reported a week ago and 42 cents more than one month when the average was $2.67.
The average in Tulsa this week was $3 a gallon, 17 cents more than a week ago and 41 cents more than a month ago when the average was $2.59.
Sixteen counties in the state have averages ranging from $3.20 per gallon all the way up to $3.43 which is the average in Ellis County in the northwestern part of the state. Others with high averages are: Hughes $3.35; Greer $3.34; Dewey $3.31; Logan $3.30; and Harper, Woods and Major Counties with averages of $3.20 per gallon.
Oklahoma’s $3.08 average compared to $3.05 in Kansas, $3.04 in Texas, $3.09 in Arkansas, $3.12 in Missouri, $3.65 in Colorado and $3.34 in New Mexico according to AAA.
Since last Thursday, these 10 states have seen the largest increases in their averages: Colorado (+34 cents), Georgia (+23 cents), Ohio (+20 cents), New Mexico (+20 cents), West Virginia (+20 cents), Missouri (+17 cents), Indiana (+17 cents), Kentucky (+16 cents), South Carolina (+15 cents) and North Carolina (+15 cents).