Susquehanna Valley gas prices fell almost six cents to $3.60 a gallon this week, according to AAA East Central.
On the national front
Tuesday's national average price for regular unleaded gasoline is $3.51 per gallon. The price is a nickel less expensive than one week ago, three cents less than one month ago and 35 cents less than the same day last year.
Despite the relative year-over-year price relief, today marks the 1,000th consecutive day with the national average price at the pump above $3.00 per gallon, which is the longest such stretch on record. The current streak began on Dec. 23, 2010.
Prices in four Midwestern states have fallen by at least a dime per gallon since last Tuesday: Kentucky (-10 cents), Michigan (-12 cents), Ohio (-13 cents) and Indiana (-14 cents). These lower prices have been due to ample supplies, continued weak demand and the start of the transition to cheaper, winter-blend gasoline.
While retail gas prices have drifted lower in much of the U.S., West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices have continued to trade above $100 per barrel on geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and North Africa. At the close of Monday's formal trading on the NYMEX, WTI settled $1.62 lower at $106.59 per barrel.
(AAA East Central - a not-for-profit association with 82 local offices in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, New York and Kentucky servicing 2.7 million members - provides Fuel Gauge each week.)