After 3 weeks of falling gas prices in SC, prices up after Labor Day weekend

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The average price for a gallon of gasoline in South Carolina rose last week ahead of the Labor Day travel weekend, but analysts say Hurricane Idalia had no impact.

Gas prices in the Palmetto State rose 7.7 cents over the last week, averaging $3.43 per gallon as of Tuesday, according to GasBuddy’s weekly survey of more than 3,000 gas stations. That’s an increase in one week of nearly half the total 13.8 drop recorded over the last three consecutive weeks.

Prices are 7.5 cents lower than one month ago but 8.6 higher than one year ago.

GasBuddy reported the cheapest gas in the state was at $2.92 per gallon but the most expensive was $1.17 per gallon higher at $4.09.

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As of Tuesday morning, the cheapest gas in the Tri-County area was selling for $3.24 per gallon at a station in Summerville.

“The national average fell to its lowest level since July ahead of Labor Day, even as oil prices rose last week to the highest level since last November,” Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said.

But he said Hurricane Idalia steered well clear of the nation’s significant energy infrastructure, so the hurricane, which made landfall in Florida and then went northeast through Georgia and South Carolina, had no impact on gas prices.

De Haan said the switch back to winter gasoline is less than two weeks away, which could eventually encourage a drop in prices.

“However, any disturbances that threaten the Gulf could delay any decline between now and then, creating a bit of a bumpy ride for the next week or two before more relief arrives toward late September,” he said.

South Carolina’s average price of diesel fuel rose 9.6 cents in the last week to $4.44 per gallon.

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