Utahns seeing lower gasoline prices as summer wanes

Utahns are starting to see a little relief at their neighborhood gas pumps.

Rolayne Fairclough, spokeswoman for AAA Utah, said with the summer driving season now winding down, gasoline prices have started to ease.

"Plentiful supplies, weaker demand, the anticipated change to cheaper winter-blend gasoline in mid-September and a relatively mild hurricane season are reasons for the decreasing prices," Fairclough said in a statement announcing that the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Utah is now $3.63.

The current price is 1 cent lower than last week, 10 cents lower than last month and 18 cents lower than a year ago, she said.

In July, Utah motorists were paying an average of $3.73 for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline, the eighth highest prices in the country. But that now has changed, according to AAA Utah. It indicated that 20 states now have higher prices and three states have the same price as Utah.

Nationally, the average price per gallon of regular gasoline stands at $3.56, a 2 cent increase from last month. Still, the price is 3 cents lower than a week ago and 27 cents lower than a year ago.

Fairclough, however, offered a word of caution.

"The possibility always remains that escalating violence in the Middle East, hurricanes or unexpected disruptions to supplies or distribution could send prices higher," she said.

steve@sltrib.com

Twitter: OberbeckBiz