Nevada gas prices up 7-cents to $3.94

Gas prices in Nevada are up 7 cents in the last month, according to the latest fuel price report from AAA Nevada.

The average price in Nevada for regular unleaded gasoline is $3.94. Last year at this time, the average price in Nevada was $3 a gallon.

The highest gas price in Nevada's metro areas is in Sparks, according to the AAA. The price there is $4.09 for regular unleaded, up 10 cents when compared to last month's report.

Las Vegas has the Silver State's lowest pump at $3.88 for regular unleaded, a 5-cent increase from last month.

"After hitting a plateau of sorts for several days last week, prices at the pump have dipped slightly," said AAA Nevada spokesperson Matt Skryja. "It's tough to say how long this dip will last, given that the lower oil prices of last week have now rebounded a bit. Motorists need to keep in mind that we are just a couple of weeks away from the Memorial Day weekend. This holiday is typically considered the start of the summer driving season, when prices are traditionally higher."

The national average price of $3.95 is up 16 cents, which is $1.04 more than the national price on this date last year when it was $2.91. The national average price has not been this high since July 2008.

Nevada has the 11th highest average price in the lower 48 states. Among the lower 48 states, the highest average price reported by AAA is in California, Connecticut and Illinois, where the average prices are $4.26. Twelve states now have their average prices at $4 or more a gallon for regular gasoline. Seventeen other states are within 10 cents of the $4 mark.

The least expensive gasoline in the country is in Casper, Wyo., where, the average price is $3.43. Wailuku, Hawaii, holds the dubious crown for the highest average price in the nation, at $4.96 per gallon.