Going Somewhere for Thanksgiving? It’s a Painful Fill Up

Gas prices are impacting Thanksgiving travel plans as some people are rethinking the long road trip as prices continue to climb in Yakima and around the nation.

Yakima gas prices are up almost a dime in the last week

Over the past week gas prices in Yakima are up 9.6 cents per gallon selling for an average of $3.84 a gallon today, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 91 stations in Yakima. The cheapest gas in the valley can be found in Wapato at the Wolf Den for $3.25 a gallon. The most expensive is gas is priced at  $3.99 a gallon, a difference of 74.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state today is $2.95 a gallon while the highest is $4.29 a gallon, a difference of $1.34.

The national price is down but still an expensive average

GasBuddy officials say the national average price of gasoline has fallen 2.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.40 a gallon today. The national average is up 9.5 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands $1.28 per gallon higher than a year ago.

Is COVID-19 concern impacting prices?

"As of Sunday evening, the national average price of gasoline posted its first weekly decline in months. As the price of oil continues to struggle, Covid cases flare up and anxiety over demand starts rising, motorists are likely to see the declines continuing into this week," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "While it's not known how long market conditions will continue to push gas prices down, it appears that the fall should last through Thanksgiving, just in time for millions of Americans to prepare to hit the road for the holiday. However, the damage may already be done. According to GasBuddy's Thanksgiving Travel Survey, being released tomorrow, a significant portion of Americans say the high gas prices already led them to re-think their plans."

We've certainly seen cheaper prices

Historical gasoline prices in Yakima and the national average going back ten years:
November 15, 2020: $2.62/g (U.S. Average: $2.12/g)
November 15, 2019: $3.28/g (U.S. Average: $2.61/g)
November 15, 2018: $3.28/g (U.S. Average: $2.65/g)
November 15, 2017: $2.95/g (U.S. Average: $2.57/g)
November 15, 2016: $2.64/g (U.S. Average: $2.14/g)
November 15, 2015: $2.43/g (U.S. Average: $2.16/g)
November 15, 2014: $3.07/g (U.S. Average: $2.89/g)
November 15, 2013: $3.28/g (U.S. Average: $3.19/g)
November 15, 2012: $3.56/g (U.S. Average: $3.43/g)
November 15, 2011: $3.78/g (U.S. Average: $3.41/g)

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices:
Tacoma- $3.88/g, down 0.4 cents per gallon from last week's $3.88/g.
Seattle- $4.01/g, down 1.3 cents per gallon from last week's $4.02/g.
Washington- $3.79/g, up 0.4 cents per gallon from last week's $3.78/g.