Those getting ready to hit the road today for Christmas may want to fill up locally.
Jacksonville’s average for a gallon of gas is $3.14 a gallon today. Twelve of fourteen location are at $3.15 a gallon or less. Morgan County as a whole is averaging $3.24 a gallon this week, second to only Schuyler County’s $3.19. Springfield currently sits at $3.34 on average. Just across the Mississippi River in Pike County, Missouri, gas is at $2.94 a gallon.
These prices are better than the national average of $3.29 a gallon, and the state average of $3.39. Crude oil prices remain somewhat steady over the week and gasoline demand surged last week ahead of the holiday travel week.
AAA says typically, growing demand and tight supply would support rising pump prices; however, fluctuations in the price of crude oil have helped to put downward pressure on prices. Last week, crude prices crept above $70 per barrel and if oil prices continue to climb, pump prices will likely follow suit. However, some of that confidence has been tempered by fears of the COVID-19 omicron variant’s economic impact possibly threatening future global oil consumption.