KENTUCKY — Gas prices are 18 cents higher than they were last week in Kentucky, according to the new AAA Gas Price Report.

What You Need To Know

  • The average price across the commonwealth rose to $2.86

  • AAA said the late December winter storm caused a spike in prices

  • Refineries as far south as Texas and the Gulf Coast were forced to shut down during the frigid cold

  • Nationally, the average price of gas rose 12 cents over the last week to hit $3.22

The average price across the commonwealth rose to $2.86, up from $2.68 during the week of Dec. 27. Here’s the price of gas in different cities across the state:

  • $2.85     Bowling Green
  • $2.72     Elizabethtown
  • $2.93     Louisville
  • $2.85     Owensboro
  • $2.94     Paducah

The AAA said the late December winter storm and frigid temperatures caused gas prices to spike, with refineries as far south as Texas and the Gulf Coast forced to shut down temporarily. The storm also caused holiday travelers to fuel up and hit the road early to beat the bad weather, leading to a spike in overall gas demand.

The national average for a gallon of gas rose 12 cents over the last week to hit $3.22. This is 20 cents less than a month ago and six cents less than a year ago. Nationally, gas demand increased while the supply fell by 3 million barrels, pushing pump prices higher.

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