Gas prices continue to climb from their lows a few months ago, but travelers this Memorial Day weekend will still experience per gallon prices significantly lower than last year.
Gas prices in Pahrump on Thursday ranged from $2.87 per gallon of regular gas at the 76 station in front of Gold Town Casino at the corner of Highway 160/372, according to GasBuddy.com. That’s a significant jump from $2.38 the last week in March.
The highest price Thursday was $3.29 per gallon at the Shell on South Blagg Road.
The average is still well below the state average of $3.31 per gallon, and close to the national average of $2.75.
AAA is expecting 2.8 million travelers on the roads in the region of the United States that includes Southern Nevada and Southern California, which would be the most road travelers for the holiday in 10 years.
U.S. Highway 95 to Tonopah is also expected to see many travelers heading north for Jim Butler Days that start Friday.
On Thursday, gas the price in Amargosa was $2.99, while Beatty ranged from $2.99 to $3.19 per gallon. Tonopah reported prices from $3.20 to $3.69.
If traveling from Pahrump to Las Vegas, travelers may want to gas up first because gas over the hump averages $3.32.
According to AAA Fuel Report, drivers nationally are paying 5 cents per gallon more than one week ago and 26 cents more per gallon than one month ago.
Michael Green, a manager with AAA California, Nevada and Utah, said Monday while drivers are paying the highest prices of the year, “drivers are still experiencing significant yearly savings at the pump and today’s price is discounted by 94 cents year-over-year, making it the lowest average for this date since 2009.”
Green said the recent price increases, especially in the West, are largely due to the global rally in crude prices.
“The West Coast continues to lead the market with some of the nation’s highest averages for retail gasoline due to localized refinery issues over the past several months, which have kept supplies tight and prices tilted higher,” Green said. “This region is relatively isolated from other markets and is more dependent on in-region production, making it harder for the market to adjust to supply disruptions.”
Nevada has the second highest average per gallon price in the nation, second to California’s $3.83, a state that has had the highest price average 12 straight weeks.
According to AAA, the per gallon gas prices have jumped by a quarter or more per gallon in 13 states, with California (plus 68 cents), and Nevada (plus 50 cents) again leading the way.