Gas Prices Still Going Up

Motorists continue to encounter the Grinch at the gas pumps, when they pull in to fill up their tanks. The price of gasoline continues its unusual December rise.

The national average price of self-serve regular today is $2.977 a gallon, up nearly eight cents in the last seven days, according to AAA. That's nearly 35 cents a gallon higher than last year at this time.

The price of diesel fuel is $3.242, five cents a gallon higher than last Friday.

Normally gasoline prices are lower in December than they are in July, when demand is greater. But other factors have pushed oil prices higher and gas prices are being dragged along.

"Crude prices saw a dramatic run-up to end the week at its highest close since October 8, 2008, said Andrew Delmege, AAA's manager of regulatory affairs. "These gains were largely credited to an aligning of bullish news for crude markets, including economic growth in the US and China; a decline in the US dollar; and positive fundamental data reports.

Delmege says it's worth noting that the U.S. has never had an average of $3 a gallon gasoline at Christmas, but that could change this year.

The states with the most expensive gasoline today are:

•   Hawaii ($3.566)

•  Alaska ($3.515)

• California ($3.252)

• New York ($3.240)

• Connecticut ($3.224)

• Washington ($3.159)

• Maine ($3.115)

• Vermont ($3.115)

• Illinois ($3.048)

• Oregon ($3.046)

The states with the least expensive gasoline today are:

• Colorado ($2.721)

• Wyoming ($2.781)

• Missouri ($2.794)

• South Carolina ($2.810)

• Oklahoma ($2.807)

• Texas ($2.818)

• Mississippi ($2.837)

• Arkansas ($2.835)

• Tennessee ($2.845)

• Louisiana ($2.859)