Gas prices soar at pump
Gas prices have shot up more than 30 cents a gallon in a month, according to the AAA of Northern California.
The average price of a gallon of gas in Marysville on Tuesday was $2.75, up 33 cents, according to the AAA. That was the second-lowest price in Northern California.
“This is probably just the beginning,” AAA of Northern California spokesman Sean Comey said in a statement. “People tend to drive more as the weather warms up, and the resulting increase in consumption triggers higher fuel costs.”
Comey noted that gas prices were up 20 cents from last year's prices - which were certainly no bargain.
They were even higher elsewhere in California, where the average was up to $2.86. That was a 29-cent increase from March 14.
The lowest Northern California price was in Sacramento, where gas was a penny cheaper than in Marysville, averaging $2.74 a gallon. South Lake Tahoe had the most expensive gas at $3.10 a gallon. The U.S. average was $2.69 a gallon.
AAA said there was nothing to suggest gas prices will be falling in the near future, thanks to international unrest. And another Hurricane Katrina could add to gas price volatility.
Concern about Iran and Nigeria boosted crude oil prices. A report issued this week from the Energy Information Administration predicts that gas prices will increase in the next few months, with potential for an even bigger jump if a tropical storm affects oil and gas production.
The EIA report warns that with another active hurricane season possible this year, news of any developing hurricanes and tropical storms with a potential to cause significant new outages could add to the volatility in near-term prices by summer's end.
