ST. LOUIS — The bad news doesn't stop when it comes to gas prices lately, and this week is no different.
According to a GasBuddy news release, Missouri's average gas prices have jumped 27.6 cents in the last week, now $4.49 per gallon.
In St. Louis, drivers are paying 18.2 cents more, for an average of $4.68. That is 58.5 cents more than a month ago and $1.88 higher than one year ago.
And the national average for gas is expected to reach $5 per gallon.
“After a blistering week of gas prices jumping in nearly every town, city, state and area possible, more bad news is on the horizon. It now appears not if, but when, we'll hit that psychologically critical $5 national average," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in the release.
Right now, the national average is $4.85, 26 cents higher than last week, the release said.
"Nine states have average gas prices that stand beyond the $5 per gallon mark, with more set to join in the days and weeks ahead," De Haan said.
Diesel prices increased 11.5 cents nationally, and are now averaging $5.62 a gallon, according to the release.
Illinois drivers are paying 43.3 cents more for gas this week than last week, an average of $5.44 per gallon.
De Haan said in the release inventories of gasoline continue to decrease, even though high gasoline prices have caused demand to lighten up.
"Gasoline inventories continue to decline even with demand softening due to high prices, a culmination of less refining capacity than we had prior to COVID and strong consumption, a situation that doesn't look to improve drastically anytime soon," he said.