Today’s fuel price musings - That didn’t last long

December 16th, 2008 at 12:08pm Thomas V. Bona

Remember how I reported yesterday that Rockford’s gas prices had fallen below much of the rest of the state? No more. By the end of the day yesterday, we’d risen to fifth in the state …and today there was a big increase into the $1.80s. It appears to be an increase throughout the region, so wholesale prices must have jumped. Unfortunately for us, it makes sense - gas prices had fallen faster than oil prices, and oil seems to have stabilized. I don’t see any reason gas prices will top $2 anytime soon, unless OPEC’s production cut is REALLY big. But I’ve been wrong before…Here are the now outdated Tuesday morning prices (courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com):

Gasoline: Rockford rose more than four cents to $1.69 a gallon. We had the fifth-highest gas prices in the state. More significantly, we rost to a tie as the 79th highest of the nation’s 250 metro areas. The Illinois average rose almost a cent to $1.71. The national average rose a fraction of a cent to remain at $1.66. Illinois is tied with the 16th-highest gas prices in the nation, including the District of Columbia. Only Alaska and Hawaii remain above $2 a gallon.

Diesel: Rockford dropped more than a cent to $2.63 a gallon. We have the third-highest diesel prices in the state. The state average increased a cent to $2.65. The national average increased a fraction of a cent to remain at $2.54. Illinois has the 13th-highest diesel prices in the country. Only Alaska, Hawaii and New York remain above $3 a gallon (Hawaii is still above $4).

Entry Filed under: Fuel price musings