Gas prices rise for the 5th straight week with no sign of stopping

WLOS — Average gasoline prices in Asheville have risen 7.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.32 per gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy's survey of 259 stations in Asheville. Prices in Asheville are 29.8 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 10.8 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 5.4 cents in the last week and stands at $4.65 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Asheville was priced at $3.15 per gallon Sunday while the most expensive was $3.49 per gallon, a difference of 34.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state Sunday was $2.84 per gallon while the highest was $3.93 per gallon, a difference of $1.09 per gallon.

US INFLATION AND CONSUMER SPENDING COOLED IN DECEMBER

The national average price of gasoline has risen 9.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.49 per gallon Monday. The national average is up 33.3 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 14.1 cents per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

Historical gasoline prices in Asheville and the national average going back ten years:

• January 30, 2022: $3.21 per gallon (U.S. Average: $3.34 per gallon)
• January 30, 2021: $2.32 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.43 per gallon)
• January 30, 2020: $2.49 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.49 per gallon)
• January 30, 2019: $2.29 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.27 per gallon)
• January 30, 2018: $2.53 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.59 per gallon)
• January 30, 2017: $2.28 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.27 per gallon)
• January 30, 2016: $1.85 per gallon (U.S. Average: $1.80 per gallon)
• January 30, 2015: $2.12 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.04 per gallon)
• January 30, 2014: $3.30 per gallon (U.S. Average: $3.27 per gallon)
• January 30, 2013: $3.40 per gallon (U.S. Average: $3.40 per gallon)

INFLATION'S IMPACT: AMERICAN FAMILIES SPENDING ABOUT $371 MORE A MONTH THAN YEAR AGO

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices:

• Spartanburg- $3.19 per gallon, up 8.7 cents per gallon from last week's $3.10 per gallon.
• Knoxville- $3.18 per gallon, up 10.6 cents per gallon from last week's $3.07 per gallon.
• Greenville- $3.18 per gallon, up 8.1 cents per gallon from last week's $3.10 per gallon.

"The national average price of gasoline has risen for the fifth straight week as retailers pass along the rise in wholesale gasoline prices due to continued challenges: refinery utilization that still hasn't fully recovered from December's cold weather, and refinery maintenance season that's just around the corner," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "There appears to be little good news on the gas price front, with prices unlikely to turn around any time soon. Because of the surge in prices last spring, many refineries that had planned maintenance deferred maintenance until 2023. With the can kicked to this year, we may have similar challenges producing enough refined products to meet demand, especially with the European Union cutting off refined products from Russia starting February 5."