Gas prices holding steady nationally as transition to summer fuel approaches

While the Pittsburgh area was enduring its coldest day of the winter season so far, the change to summer is just on the horizon — to summer gasoline, that is.

“The transition to summer gasoline, a three-month process, will begin in the weeks ahead, so the current period is still the calm before the storm” when it comes to gas prices, said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

While the national average price of gasoline has changed little in the last week in most areas, a trade deal with China could impact prices.

“If a broad trade agreement with China does come to pass, that will enhance the normal rise of 35-75 cents per gallon that we see nationally from February’s low prices to Memorial Day weekend’s prices — so what you see today will likely feel like a completely different world than what we expect near Memorial Day,” DeHaan said.

In Pittsburgh, gasoline prices have fallen 2.4 cents per gallon in the past week to an average of $2.44, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 731 stations. That’s 16.3 cents per gallon lower than a month ago, and 40.3 cents per gallon less than a year ago.

The national average has increased 0.6 cents per gallon, to $2.24. The national average has dropped 10.4 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 29.1 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Brian Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BCRittmeyer.