Gas is Over $4 a Gallon! Why is Gas Going Up So Fast in Arizona?!

I hope you've gotten most of your summer travel out of the way because you're not going to like what I'm about to tell you. If you were considering a road trip around Labor Day, this trend could have you rethinking your plans.

Gas Prices Are Spiking in the West

Gas prices across Arizona are on the rise again. According to AAA, Arizona once again ranks near the top for the most expensive gas prices in the nation, coming in at number eight.

Arizona drivers have watched fuel prices rise across the state, with some of the priciest gas hovering close to $4.50 a gallon in Maricopa County.

The national average for gasoline across the country is around $3.87 a gallon. Consumers are seeing a sudden spike in prices, not only in Arizona but all across the western states, plus Alaska and Hawaii.

Right now, the states with the highest prices are in Washington, where the average price per gallon runs around $5.03. Washington has nothing on California, however. California's average price for a gallon of gas is about $5.19 a gallon.

Increasing Prices

Fuel prices in Arizona have risen a whopping 20 cents over the last week. Currently, the cost is now 41 cents more a gallon than it was last month.

According to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.com, “Gas prices suddenly soared over the last week due to heat-related refinery outages that impacted some of the largest refineries in the country, at a time when summer gasoline demand peaks and as gasoline inventories slid to their lowest July level since 2015."

The price of oil has surged over the last few months to over $80 a barrel. Rumors of cuts by the second and third-largest oil producers in the world, Saudi Arabia and Russia, have swirled, contributing to the sudden increase.

Could Weather Increase the Cost?

As hurricane season begins to ramp up, the potential for yet another spike in prices is lurking. Arizona drivers may want to brace for another increase, as Hurricane Hilary pushes across California and the rest of the west over the next week.