CINCINNATI — As crude oil surges well past $100 a barrel, hitting the $130 mark over the weekend, gas prices nationwide have followed them up.
And in the Cincinnati area, that means an increase to $4.09 a gallon for unleaded at most stations with some as high as $4.19 and $4.29.
That means a 20-gallon SUV or pickup fill-up can now cost $80 or more.
This is the highest price since the all time record of $4.17 a gallon back in the summer of 2008 during the financial crisis. However, that surge was short-lived, and prices were back down below $3 within months.
It feels even higher now for many drivers, conditioned to low gas prices during the pandemic.
In March of 2020, as COVID-19 was shutting down everything, Cincinnati gas prices fell to $2.32, according to AAA. They dropped below $2 in the next couple of months, as drivers stayed off the road and oil companies had huge surpluses of gasoline.
If you are looking for cheaper gas, check out Northern Kentucky, where many gas stations remain lower, according to GasBuddy.com, with many still in the $3.79 to $3.99 range.
However, it is not worth a 15 minute drive to save 10 cents on gas, as you will burn up any savings.
You can see a map of Cincinnati's current gas prices onWCPO's interactive gas map here. Use the zoom feature to see prices near you.
As always, don't waste your money.
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