Gas prices rose last week to their highest level so far this summer, pushing up the average price at the pump for regular gas in Chattanooga by another 1.5 cents per gallon to $2.07 per gallon, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 170 gas outlets in Chattanooga.
Gas prices Sunday in Chattanooga were up an average of 15.2 cents per gallon from a month ago and 24.7 cents per gallon above gas prices a year ago at this time.
But local gas prices are still well below their August levels in 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012, and Chattanooga prices remained 27 cents per gallon below the U.S. average of $2.34 per gallon.
GasBuddy.com reports more than a dozen local stations are still selling gas below $2 a gallon.
“For the fourth straight week gasoline prices have risen, pushing the national average this week to its highest level of the summer so far,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy. “There are some signs, however, that we may be nearing a short-term peak as the climb in gasoline prices has begun to slow.”
Gas prices are cheapest in Tennessee in Cleveland, Tenn., where GasBuddy.com said the average price of a gallon of regular gas is slightly below $2.05 per gallon – the 10th lowest among all metro cities in America.
In a separate report released Sunday, the Lundberg Survey said the average price of a gallon of regular-grade gasoline jumped 8 cents nationally over the past three weeks, to $2.40. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that the spike results from higher crude oil prices.
The U.S. average diesel price is $2.57, up 6 cents over the past three weeks, Lundberg said.