YONKERS, N.Y. Traditionally, gas prices around the country rise during the summer, peak in August and begin to drop after the busy Labor Day weekend. This year, Yonkers drivers may not see price relief at the pumps for some time.
With Hurricane Isaac knocking out power to countless refineries in the Gulf Coast, and an unsettled situation overseas, gas prices in the local metro area have risen an average of 12 cents in the past month, to $4.22. That's 8 cents higher than the state average of $4.14 for a gallon of regular, third highest in the continental United States. Connecticut is first at $4.16 and California is second at $4.15. The national average sits at $3.85 as of Tuesday, more than 20 cents higher than a year ago. The figures were updated early Tuesday by AAA.
AAA Spokesperson Robert Sinclair Jr. told The Daily Voice that immediate relief should not be expected, and that things can change by the day, depending on various factors.
This is really a day-to-day progression. Things happen overseas we cannot control and prices can change significantly from one day to the next, he said. People were popping champagne after we hit an April peak and prices started to drop, and things literally changed the next day.
Sinclair said Isaac caused a slight bump in prices, but a more threatening issue is the upheaval in the Middle East, which may ultimately threaten the nations supply of crude oil.
Were seeing some of the effects of the global market, he added. The continuing tensions with Iran may ultimately take away as much as 20 percent of the worlds crude oil.
In Yonkers, the cheapest gas can be found at Delta on Bronx River Road, for $4.09 a gallon for regular fuel, with prices topping out at $4.38 for regular at a McLean Avenue BP station.
Last month, with prices were still approaching $4 per gallon, many Yonkers residents said they were already making some sacrifices as they looked for ways to afford filling up their car.
It cuts into your budget, thats for sure, Luis Ortiz said outside a Central Park Avenue Shell station. The more you pay for gas the less you have to do other things.
While stations will switch from the more expensive summer blend of gasoline to a cheaper winter blend this week, Sinclair said that motorists shouldnt expect a sudden drop in prices.
When they switch over, perhaps things will get better, but there are so many more factors than just that, he said. Theres so much going on, but in the short term, prices are more likely to continue to rise.
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