Skip to main content

Gas prices down, trend expected to continue

By Press Release

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.39, down two cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.13. The New York State average is $3.56 – down one cent from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.23. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

  • Batavia - $3.45 (down two cents from last week)
  • Buffalo - $3.47 (no change from last week)
  • Ithaca - $3.52 (no change from last week)
  • Rochester - $3.53 (no change from last week)
  • Rome - $3.58 (no change from last week)
  • Syracuse - $3.50 (down one cent from last week)
  • Watertown - $3.60 (no change since last week)

Gasoline demand increased over the Thanksgiving holiday, but oil prices are now closer to $70 per barrel rather than $80 per barrel so pump prices are steady. Total gasoline stocks are down and that coupled with high demand would normally mean increased gas prices, but the drop in crude oil prices helped to stabilize pump prices. Last week, President Biden announced that the federal government would release oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which was coordinated with the release of oil from other major crude consuming countries. As a result, drivers could see some price relief at the pump over the coming weeks, but they should expect prices to remain higher than last year’s holiday season and in 2019.

From Gas Buddy:

"Gas price declines are slowly picking up momentum. With oil's recent fall and the jury out on a new Covid variant, Omicron, we could be in store for lower prices based on many countries turning back to travel restrictions, limiting oil demand and potentially accelerating the drop in gas prices," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "There remains a very high level of uncertainty ahead of us as OPEC has also delayed its meetings to await more market movements and information on Omicron. But so far, Americans can expect the new variant to push gas prices even lower. Beyond the next few weeks, it remains nearly impossible to predict where oil and gas prices will head, though turbulence is guaranteed."

Howard B. Owens

The link you posted has different information. That doesn't make it accurate. "Driving around the city" is not data. It's an anecdote*. It's absolutely meaningless as proof of anything. (*since I've had to make this point before, here's that definition of the word: "an account regarded as unreliable or hearsay.")

Nov 29, 2021, 8:18pm Permalink
jeff saquella

Oh so seeing the posted price of $3.49 at EVERY station in the city is an anecdote?and doesn't count as factual?? LOL..Come on Howard you know I'm right. The link i posted is from gas buddy. They check prices every single day. Go look at the prices Howard you'll see I'm right....once again. If they drop prices in the morning well then this story may be closer. to being accurate. Your response is making you look silly my friend.

Nov 29, 2021, 11:39pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

You have no proof you're seeing that price on every station in town so it's only anecdote.

And you're comparing apples and oranges because AAA and Gas Buddy use different methods.

Also, looking at just the prices in Batavia isn't looking at all the prices that go into the AAA survey (which is the entire Batavia Micropolitan Area). But you've been told all this before. Facts have never been very persuasive to you. You're going to believe what you want to believe.

Nov 30, 2021, 10:27am Permalink

Authentically Local