Gas prices in South Central Ohio have increased for the third week in a row, rising by almost a dime to $2.582 per gallon this week, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

Gas price averages are volatile across the Great Lakes and Central states with a 31-cent disparity between the highest and lowest prices, with Ohioans paying 6 cents more to fill up since last Monday.

Gasoline inventories dropped for a fourth week, lowering total inventories to 57.8 million barrels. This total is in-line with levels from a year ago.

Today’s average prices: South Central Ohio Average $2.582

Average price during the week of April 2, 2018 $2.487

Average price during the week of April 10, 2017 $2.392

Here is the price per gallon of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:

$2.594 Athens

$2.565 Chillicothe

$2.576 Columbiana

$2.491 East Liverpool

$2.620 Gallipolis

$2.396 Hillsboro

$2.595 Ironton

$2.645 Jackson

$2.580 Logan

$2.617 Marietta

$2.623 Portsmouth

$2.590 Steubenville

$2.638 Washington Court House

$2.622 Waverly

On the National Front

Gas prices have held at their highest price of the year – $2.66 – for one week. And motorists are seeing fluctuating prices at the pump from state to state with jumps as high as 12-cents in Utah and declines as much as 7-cents in Michigan since last Monday.

According to the EIA’s latest weekly report, gasoline inventories dropped by 1.1 million barrels. Additionally, demand for gasoline remains robust at 9.2 million barrels per day and is more in line with demand levels at the same time in 2017.

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session on the NYMEX, West Texas Intermediate decreased $1.48 to settle at $62.06.

Additionally, Baker Hughes, Inc. reported that the U.S. gained 11 active oil rigs last week, raising the total number to 808.

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

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 80 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.