Seasonal pressures to affect local gas prices through Memorial Day

Average Wichita-area gas prices have risen 7 cents a gallon from a week ago, to average $2.15, according to GasBuddy.com.

Average prices Monday are 28 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago.

Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, said gas prices seem finally to be responding to annual seasonal pressures caused by the changeover at refineries from winter to summer blends of gasoline. He expects higher prices through Memorial Day.

“We long anticipated seeing gasoline prices beginning to rise en masse in the spring, but uncharacteristically, it took until nearly April Fool’s Day for it to begin. There’s no fooling this time — the rally in prices does seem to be more credible as oil and gasoline markets rebound,” DeHaan said in a statement.

For the latest gas prices in the Wichita area and Kansas, go to www.kansas.com/news/gas-prices/.

This story was originally published April 3, 2017 at 10:19 AM with the headline "Seasonal pressures to affect local gas prices through Memorial Day."