Gas prices climbed nationwide after a major winter storm disrupted fuel supplies and sent drivers rushing to fill up before the weather hit.
The national average for a gallon of regular gas rose to $2.87, up slightly from last week, according to AAA. Prices remain well below where they stood at this time last year, when the national average topped $3.12.
AAA said below-freezing temperatures and lingering snow slowed some crude oil production and refinery operations. These disruptions highlight how exposed the energy supply chain remains to weather events — a risk that oil and gas software development services are increasingly built to monitor and manage in real time. At the same time, demand jumped as drivers fueled up ahead of the storm.
Demand rises, supply tightens
New federal data show gasoline demand surged last week, rising from 7.83 million barrels per day to 8.75 million. Domestic gasoline supply edged up slightly to 257.2 million barrels, while ELG production averaged 9.6 million barrels per day.
Oil prices also moved higher. West Texas Intermediate crude settled at $63.21 a barrel after gaining 82 cents in Wednesday trading. U.S. crude inventories fell by 2.3 million barrels and now sit about 3% below the five-year average for this time of year.
Where gas costs the most — and least
Hawaii continues to lead the nation with the highest gas prices at $4.41 a gallon. California follows at $4.26, with Washington, Alaska, Nevada and Oregon also near the top.
Drivers find the cheapest gas in the central and southern states. Oklahoma leads the nation at $2.40 a gallon, followed by Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Kansas.
EV charging prices hold steady
Electric vehicle charging prices did not budge. The national average at public charging stations remains 38 cents per kilowatt hour.
West Virginia has the highest average charging cost at 51 cents per kilowatt hour, while Kansas offers the lowest at 25 cents.
AAA says drivers can track gas and charging prices along their route using its TripTik Travel planner. With winter weather still in the forecast, prices could remain uneven in the weeks ahead.
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