The average price for a gallon of gas in Beaver County is the sixth-highest in Pennsylvania
The pain at the pump isn't going anywhere any time soon.
Gas prices sit at the highest level since the summer of 2014 and they're going to continue to climb for at least another month, said Jim Garrity, a spokesman in AAA’s Pittsburgh office.
"We're going into Memorial Day weekend, which is looking to be the busiest in 12 years," Garrity said Monday. "The prices will keep going up."
And go up they have. One month ago, gas prices were hovering at $2.97 per gallon, according to AAA. There have been several steady jumps, including one during the weekend.
Monday morning, the average gas price in Beaver County was $3.15 per gallon. In Allegheny County, it's a penny less. In Lawrence County, the average gas price is almost $3.12 per gallon.
That's all significantly higher than the national average of $2.97 and higher than Pennsylvania's average of $3.075.
Beaver County has the sixth-highest average price per gallon for gas in the state, and, along with Washington County, is the highest in southwestern Pennsylvania. Drivers in Bradford County are paying the highest price per gallon at $3.20.
But there's no saying where gas prices will eventually land, Garrity said. In the greater Pittsburgh area, gas prices topped out at $4.05 in June 2008.
"It's hard to say exactly where gas prices are going to top out," he said. "This could be the most expensive summer since 2014."
Gas prices have steadily been on the rise since the beginning of the year, Garrity said. A year ago, Pennsylvanians were paying an average of $2.57 per gallon.
There are several factors that play into the increase, he said.
"This time of year, there's a lot of refinery maintenance, plus the switch to the summer blend gasoline, which is more expensive to produce," Garrity said. "That price spike trickles down to the consumer."
There's also a higher-than-normal demand for gas, he said.
The good news, Garrity said, is that the higher prices won't last forever.
"Barring any sort of global event that further affects the price of oil, we typically see it level off in July and August," Garrity said. "It's different year-to-year. And it goes back down as we switch from summer to the winter blend."