(The Center Square) – The price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas dropped a penny in Arkansas this week, according to the American Automobile Association.
At $3.48 a gallon on average, the price is three cents more than last year. Motorists in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers and Texarkana regions are paying $3.54 a gallon, the most of any other region in the state, according to AAA.
The cheapest gas is in the Jonesboro area, where a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.39.
Arkansas has the fifth least expensive gas in the U.S. Mississippi has the lowest price at $3.33 for a gallon of regular unleaded. The top five cheapest gas prices are all in the South, with Louisiana, Alabama and South Carolina taking the second, third and fourth spots.
The decline is partly due to a drop in crude oil prices by $5 a barrel, according to AAA. But things could change.
“Gas prices are in a state of influx around Arkansas, and while market changes might lead to lower prices later, weather remains a big factor,” said AAA Spokesperson Nick Chabarria. “Excessive heat and hurricane season have the potential to decide fuel price trends in the short term.”
National fuel costs increased by four cents to $3.87 this week. The price is up seven cents from last year, according to AAA.
California has the most expensive gas at $5.18 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.
