Motorists in Idaho can expect to pay approximately 40 cents per gallon more over this Easter weekend than they did one month ago, says AAA Idaho Public and Government Affairs Director Dave Carlson.
Citing tight inventories, high demand and problems with major refiners, Carlson suggests gas prices, which are especially high for this time of year, could continue to rise.
Making matters worse is the much-publicized conflict between Iran and Britain, an event that has driven up the cost of crude oil.
While Idaho consumers spent the last five months of last year paying significantly more for gas than the average American, up to 40 cents more at one point, the gap has closed and even slightly reversed.
As of Thursday, April 5, the average cost for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Idaho was $2.69, compared to a national average of $2.706.
Compared to its West Coast neighbors, the Gem State is relatively well off, with prices for regular grade at $3.27 in California, $2.95 in Oregon, and $2.97 in Washington.
However, Wood River Valley residents aren't quite as lucky as those living in the state capital.
While Boise's average for April 5 was $2.67, a random sample of gas prices from Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey, and Bellevue showed a range of $2.78 to $3.24 per gallon of regular gasoline.
While the Easter holiday doesn't usually witness large volumes of traffic, summer is a different story. Already a traditional period for price fluctuations, current trends for the volatility in price at any time of year could mean even higher costs at the pump this summer.
Carlson notes the difference of these recent fluctuations as compared to past years in an April 3 AAA news release.
"Jittery traders define a nervous petroleum marketplace, where $10 moves in crude prices and 30-cent moves in gasoline prices are common. A few short years ago, that was not the case."
