(File Photo)

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Gas prices are a penny lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.309 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                $4.309
Average price during the week of March 21, 2022                                   $4.311
Average price during the week of March 29, 2021                                   $3.010

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$4.297      Altoona
$4.332      Beaver
$4.392      Bradford
$4.299      Brookville
$4.279      Butler
$4.308      Clarion
$4.319      DuBois
$4.281      Erie
$4.284      Greensburg
$4.299      Indiana
$4.283      Jeannette
$4.307      Kittanning
$4.326      Latrobe
$4.294      Meadville
$4.339      Mercer
$4.275      New Castle
$4.293      New Kensington
$4.299      Oil City
$4.309      Pittsburgh
$4.299      Sharon
$4.291      Uniontown
$4.398      Warren
$4.315      Washington

Trend Analysis:

With the cost of crude oil hovering near $110 per barrel, volatility at the pump has slowed. After hitting $4.33 on March 11, today’s national average for a gallon of gas is $4.24, which is one cent less than a week ago, 63 cents more than a month ago, and $1.38 more than a year ago.

Domestically, gasoline demand is defying seasonal trends and has dipped for the second straight week, perhaps due to higher pump prices and consumers altering their driving habits. The drop in gas demand is contributing to steadier prices. However, elevated oil prices have slowed that decline, and if prices continue to rise, pump prices will likely follow suit.

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate increased by $1.56 to settle at $113.90. Crude prices climbed after EIA’s weekly report revealed that total domestic crude stocks declined last week by 2.5 million barrels to 413.4 million barrels, approximately 18 percent lower than the level in mid-March 2021. The current inventory level highlights tightness in the market, contributing to rising oil prices.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 72 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.