Press release from AAA:
Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2, down 13 cents since last week. One year ago, the price was $2.69. The New York State average is $2.34 – down 6 cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.73.
AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:
- Batavia -- $2.42 (down 3 cents since last week)
- Buffalo -- $2.37 (down 4 cents since last week)
- Ithaca -- $2.41 (down 7 cents since last week)
- Rochester -- $2.33 (down 6 cents since last week)
- Rome -- $2.34 (down 6 cents since last week)
- Syracuse -- $2.28 (down 6 cents since last week)
- Watertown -- $2.33 (down6 cents since last week)
Good news: low gas prices! Bad news: consumers don’t benefit! Pump prices continue to decline around the country as oil prices have decreased significantly in response to the increasing public health, financial and economic impact of COVID-19 and the crude price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Normally at this time of year, gas demand is growing and prices are on the rise. New data from the Energy Information Administration reveals that with many Americans staying at home and practicing social distancing, gas demand continues to drop dramatically. Gas prices have not been this low since 2016 and now more than half of the states in the United States have prices below $2. Gas demand is likely to continue decreasing and push gas prices cheaper.
From GasBuddy:
"Today, we enter the 38th straight day the national average gas price has fallen, and the first week of the national average being under $2/gal for the first time in over four years as motorists park their cars and shelter in place, leading to an unprecedented drop never before seen in U.S. gasoline demand, causing prices to sink like a rock," said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.
"With the nation continuing to be under siege from the coronavirus and millions staying parked at home, there's quite a bit more downside that's in the pipeline coming in the weeks ahead.
"We could easily see the national average fall 50 cents to a dollar per gallon, while pricey states like California will see the biggest drops to come, playing catch up to the drop that has seen 29 states average gas prices fall under $2.
"Motorists should continue to be vigilant if they need to fill their tanks -- bring hand sanitizer and potentially wipes, but also shop around as the gap between station widens to historic levels."
