Analyst: Summer motoring may drive up Wichita area gas prices

Average retail gasoline prices in Wichita fell 3 cents a gallon in the past week to an average of $1.98 a gallon on Monday, according to GasBuddy.

Gregg Laskoski, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said that while the fall in gas prices over the past few weeks is nice, they typically rise with the approach of summer.

“In 2015 we saw the national average peak in June and the year before it peaked in April, so while the current plateau may seem encouraging for motorists, we still expect rising consumer demand to elevate gasoline prices as we approach the beginning of the summer driving season,” he said in a statement.

This story was originally published May 9, 2016 at 10:15 AM with the headline "Analyst: Summer motoring may drive up Wichita area gas prices."