$4.50 a Gallon for Gas on the Horizon?

Gas prices could be back on the way to $4 a gallon, or even higher, according to AAA.

The price of regular unleaded gas averaged $3.42 a gallon nationally on Sunday, up 1 cent from a week ago, according to the latest AAA survey. The same survey also reported that the cost to fill up spiked to $3.38 a gallon in Maryland, a 2-cent increase from he week before.

The prices, AAA reports, are at their highest level for this time of year, as motorists prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday. AAA also believes that prices could soar to $4.25 to $4.50 a gallon in 2012 because of "crude oil volatility and increased demand due to positive economic indicators." This would be a far greater increase from the record high average of $4.11 a gallon, set back in 2008.

Crude oil closed Friday at $98.99 a barrel, which represented the sixth straight week of increases and a nearly 30 percent increase since early October, when the price was $75 per barrel, according to AAA.

“Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away and with most holiday travelers planning to take to the road to get to their holiday destinations, many are left wondering how much higher gas prices will creep up at a time of year when they are typically on the decline,” AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Ragina C. Averella said in a statement. 

“Gas prices have been anything but typical this year, which leaves motorists extremely skeptical when it comes to price trends. Although most motorists will unlikely alter their travel plans for the Thanksgiving holiday, they will undoubtedly be asking themselves why prices are on the rise and how long the trend will continue. 

"This remains to be seen, although some analysts believe prices will remain steady or even slightly lower through the end of the year before climbing into potentially record-high territory next spring and summer.”

Here are the cheapest gas prices in the Essex-Middle River area, according to MarylandGasPrices.com.