Gas Prices Hit 30-Month High

Gas prices hit a 30-month high as the national average for regular unleaded fuel hit $3.76 a gallon on Sunday, according to the latest survey by AAA.

The price represents a 9 cent a gallon increase in the last week and a 90 cent increase from the same date a year ago. In Maryland, the average cost for regular unleaded was $3.75 a gallon on Sunday, which represents a 12 cent increase from a week ago and a 91 cent jump from a year ago.

Since the beginning of the year, gas prices have jumped 67 cents nationally, yet remain 37 cents below the all-time high of $4.11 a gallon set in July 2008. 

“Pain at the pump continues to affect motorists and has begun to curb demand during what is typically the start of the peak driving season,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman Ragina C. Averella in a statement.  “Although we remain cautiously optimistic that prices will retreat without crossing the $4 a gallon threshold, the longer high gas prices are sustained, the more far-reaching the affects will be on overall U.S. economic recovery.”

According to a AAA news release, AccuWeather is forecasting an active hurricane season, with potentially more impact on the U.S. Gulf Coast than was seen last year. The central Pennsylvania forecasting firm is calling for a total of around 15 tropical storms, about eight of which may become hurricanes, three of them major.

According to AAA, should a hurricane impact production and refining capabilities in the U.S. Gulf Coast, crude oil and gas prices would undoubtedly see a spike in the short term. 

Here is a look at the cheapest gas prices in the Essex-Middle River area, according to MarylandGasPrices.com.