TOLEDO, Ohio — Gasoline prices in northwest Ohio are shooting back up.
The average cost for a gallon of gas in Toledo rose 19.8 cents last week to $3.28, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 315 stations in the city. That price is 8.6 cents higher than a month ago and 52.1 cents lower than a year ago.
Prices had been trending downward in small amounts in recent weeks.
The cheapest station in Toledo was priced Sunday at $2.88 a gallon, while the most expensive was $3.40.
The national average went up 3.5 cents last week to $3.36. The national average for diesel fuel dropped 4.6 cents to $4.34.
"The national average rose last week as the transition to summer gasoline has now started across the entire country. The higher cost of these various blends is being passed along to motorists, as we see every year ahead of the summer driving season," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "Some regions are moving to the required summer gasoline in different steps then others, and the fragmentation of required blends absolutely plays a role in these price increases.
"Logistical challenges in making the transition during a time when refiners are also doing maintenance work can create hotspots and lead to noticeable jumps in prices during the spring. While we may not see weekly increases, the overall trend will remain upward through much of the spring. By Memorial Day, most of the nation will be transitioned to their respective required blend of fuel, and gas prices could ease, but a $4 per gallon national average remains possible by then."
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