Wisconsin has never seen gas prices this high at this time of year, with the average cost for a gallon of regular gas climbing to $3.91 on Thursday, Aug. 13, according to AAA.
The state’s previous record for August was set in 2022, when the average price was $3.70 a gallon.
Wisconsin residents wincing at the pump aren’t alone. For the first time, the nationwide average for gas is above $4 a gallon after Aug. 12. The average across the country reached $4.07 a gallon on Aug. 13, up from the previous record set in August 2022 at $3.98
Since 2008, the cheapest national average for Aug. 13 was set at $2.13 a gallon in 2016, GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said in a social media post.
In Wisconsin, the all-time record for highest average gas price was set at $4.92 a gallon in June 2022. Nationwide, the all-time record is $5.02, set that same month.
Why is gas hitting record highs in Wisconsin?
As news around the U.S. and Israel-Iran war has not changed much since it started in February, so has the news for high gas prices.
The Strait of Hormuz is still closed as Iran reaffirmed its blockade as late as Aug. 12. An average of seven vessels have made it across the strait per day in August, well below the baseline of 110 vessels per day, according to online ship trackers.
In the latest update, President Donald Trump said his administration is “low-keying it” and seeing if Iran’s economic pressures will bring the country back to the negotiation table, USA TODAY reported.
AAA reported a window of relief could arrive before the end of August. Prices usually start to dip in mid-August as stations transition away from their more costly summer gasoline blends, universities start and summer road trips wind down.
Crude oil prices are also faring better than they were early in the war. AAA reported gas dealers have “optimism that the Strait of Hormuz will resume normal operations” as crude oil comes down to $70 per barrel.
What was the average gas price in Wisconsin on Aug. 13?
These are the latest average prices per gallon for regular gas in Wisconsin’s metro areas, from cheapest to most expensive, according to AAA.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin gas prices hit record August high at $3.91 a gallon
Reporting by Caden Perry, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Caden Perry, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
