“Michigan saw a price jump to $3.69 a gallon.”
Gas Buddy petroleum analyst Patrick De Hann says the price of gas always goes up this time of year.
“Actually, it has to do with the seasons. In the spring you drive more. You have cabin fever.”
But De Haan says that still doesn’t justify the higher-than-average increase in Michigan. He is getting texts from his father in Grand Rapids asking why, if the national average is $3.40, why were some Michigan stations charging $3.69 per gallon.
“You know it is pretty bad when your parents say what the heck happened. I’m scratching my head too. In the Great Lakes the wholesale price of gas has actually gone down 20 cents a gallon from a week ago. I think it started with a couple of stations and everybody just went up.”
Gas prices are starting to recede in west Michigan. But this time of year, De Haan says there is a temporary seasonal shortage pushing up while refineries switch to summer grade fuel products, so drivers should expect to pay more.
“I think most people are going to continue to see the slow march higher.”
