VALDOSTA — Gasoline prices across South Georgia dipped slightly over the past week.
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Valdosta Friday was $3.34, down two cents from the previous week, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.
The lowest price recorded in the Azalea City Friday was $3.12 per gallon at multiple stores, according to the price tracking website gasbuddy.com.
At other towns around South Georgia, gasbuddy recorded the following lowest prices Friday:
— Tifton: $3.28 per gallon at various retailers.
— Thomasville, $3.23 per gallon at a store on US-19S.
— Colquitt County: $3.29 per gallon at a store on East Broad Avenue, Doerun.
On Friday, Valdosta had the third-highest average gas price among the 15 Georgia markets monitored by the auto club: lower than Savannah and Hinesville but higher than Warner Robins, Rome, Macon, Gainesville, Dalton, Columbus, Catoosa, Brunswick, Augusta, Atlanta, Athens and Albany.
Nationally, the average price for gasoline was $3.57 per gallon, down five cents from seven days earlier, while Georgia’s average of $3.37 per gallon was down a penny in the same period, AAA said.
“Gas prices will likely keep up this slow sag now that we are past the Memorial Day travel weekend and more locations, east of the Rockies, will be selling gas below $3 a gallon,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “But it’s time to start weather watching as the Atlantic Hurricane Season begins June 1, and forecasters predict it will be very active. A storm impacting the Gulf Coast oil production and refining centers could push prices temporarily higher, so stay tuned.”
In Wednesday market action, benchmark U.S. crude oil for July delivery fell $1.32 to $77.91 per barrel Thursday. Brent crude for July delivery fell $1.74 to $81.86 per barrel.
Wholesale gasoline for June delivery fell 6 cents to $2.40 a gallon. June heating oil fell 7 cents to $2.37 a gallon. July natural gas fell 10 cents to $2.57 per 1,000 cubic feet.