RENO - Gasoline prices in Nevada are pacing the soaring price of crude oil internationally, rising 13 cents to an average of $2.92 a gallon statewide in the past month and up 27 cents a gallon in Reno alone.
"For the past few months gas prices have gone up everywhere but Nevada," AAA Nevada spokesman Michael Geeser said on Tuesday. "That trend has changed. Alaska and Hawaii aside, Nevada now shares the fourth highest average price for regular unleaded gas in the country."
Ahead of Nevada in the contiguous United States are California, Washington and Montana. Nevada is tied with New York. The national average is $2.76, up 3 cents for a gallon of regular unleaded.
In Nevada, Reno tops the list at $3.12 a gallon, followed by Sparks at $3.08, up 25 cents since the middle of last month. Carson City is right at the $3 mark, up 12 cents.
Las Vegas is the bargain in the state, up a dime to $2.81. Elko rose 2 cents over the past month to $2.92.
"This is generally the time of year when consumers get a break at the pump," Geeser said in a statement. "But wholesale prices are already about 10 cents higher based on futures trading which means the prices we all pay will no doubt move higher."
Crude oil prices are in record territory above $86 a barrel, driving up the cost of retail gas. The current price is more than $30 higher than February's cost per barrel.
Nationally, the gas bargain is $2.49 in Monmouth, N.J., Kansas City and St. Louis.
Nevadans planning a trip to Lake Tahoe would be wise to gas up before they leave. The steepest price in the lower 48 is $3.29 at Tahoe City, Calif.