Gas prices are rising, and it’s worse in Georgia

Gas prices are rising across the country, and only in a handful o f states is it rising faster than in Georgia, according to an American Automobile Association report.

The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded jumped 7 cents in the past week, AAA reports. Sunday's average of $2.39 is the highest since September 2015.

In Georgia, the price rose 8 cents, slightly above the national average, giving the state the ninth highest jump in the country.

At $2.28 per gallon, Georgia’s prices are still 11 cents lower than the national average of $2.39 a gallon. But that’s 14 cents higher than Alabama’s $2.14 a gallon.

"This is the type of volatility we've come to expect this time of year," said Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA. "The major factors weighing on the market right now are supply and demand. People are beginning to drive more as the weather improves, causing an uptick in demand and a decline in gasoline inventories. Also, many refineries have begun producing and selling summer-blend fuels which are more expensive to produce. AAA forecasts the national average to peak around $2.70 this summer."

This story was originally published April 10, 2017 at 6:55 AM with the headline "Gas prices are rising, and it’s worse in Georgia."