VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – Gas prices rose on average by 24 cents in the past week in Hampton Roads, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic, primarily driven by the late December winter storm and the cold temperatures that came with it.
Across the state, the average price per gallon rose 16 cents, from $2.96 to $3.12, and the national average rose 12 cents in the past week to $3.22 per gallon.
AAA Mid-Atlantic noted that refineries as far south as Texas and the Gulf Coast were forced to close temporarily, and the storm also caused holiday travelers to fuel up and get on the road to beat the bad weather, which led to a spike in overall gas demand.
“The cost of gas will likely rise a bit more before this surge stalls due to less expensive oil and a return to seasonal driving patterns,” said Ryan Adcock, AAA Tidewater public relations specialist, in a statement. “But 2022 will go down as a record year with a national annual average of $3.96. According to fuel expert Tom Kloza of OPIS, that’s 40 to 50 cents more than the previous peak years of 2011 through 2014.”
Today’s national average of $3.22 is 20 cents less than a month ago and six cents less than a year ago, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.
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