Gas prices in the North Olympic Peninsula have broken the $4 mark for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel, as the summer tourism and festival season heats up, but prices aren’t expected to reach the prices seen in 2012.
With Memorial Day only two weeks off, the Washington state average gas price was $3.89, which rose dramatically from $3.62 on May 1.
At www.GasBuddy.com, a gas price-tracking website, the rising prices were attributed to tight fuel supplies, as reported in a Weekly Fuels Watch Report by the California Energy Commission.
According to the commission report, the supply of gasoline in Oregon and Washington states is very tight — 15.3 percent lower than where inventories were last May.
During the Memorial Day weekend in 2012, the Washington state average for a gallon of unleaded was $4.12, and in 2011, it was $4.01, according to the American Automobile Association.
In the Port Angeles area Sunday morning, prices for regular unleaded ranged from $3.77 at the ARCO at 2453 E. U.S. Highway 101, to $4.11 at the 76 station, 907 E. First St.
Sequim had a few cheaper options, including $3.71 at the Costco at 955 W. Washington St., while the highest price in town was $4.09 at the Chevron station at 23 Hooker Road near Carlsborg.
East of Joyce, the price reached a North Olympic Peninsula high of $4.25 at the 76 station at 50883 State Highway 112, while the Shell station at 17203 Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway in Clallam Bay was last reported to have a price of $3.93.
In Forks, the price had reached $4.03 at the 76 station.
In Jefferson County, the Port Townsend Safeway fuel station at 2611 E. Sims Way had a price of $3.79, while the Shell at 1408 W. Sims Way reached $3.98.
Port Hadlock had reported prices of $3.89 at the Cenex, 9315 Rhody Drive, and $3.95 at the Chevron at 9072 Beaver Valley Road.
The Beaver Valley General Store, 2593 Beaver Valley Road near Port Ludlow, was reported to have a Sunday price of $3.99, and the Quilcene Village Store, 294235 Highway 101, reported $3.89.
The cheapest reported gas Sunday in Washington was in Clarkston in the eastern part of the state, where a gallon of gas at Costco went for $3.33.
The most expensive gas was $4.46, at a Shell station in Point Roberts.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
